Drug Name

Cordarone (Amiodarone)

Drug Uses

Cordarone is used to treat a variety of dissimilar types of quick, abnormal heart rhythms (these are known as tachyarrhythmias). It is used for very bad rhythm disorders when other treatments are not effective or cannot be used.

How Taken

Take Cordarone as directed by your doctor. Check the label on the medicine for exact dosing instructions.

• Cordarone comes with an additional patient information sheet called a Medication Guide. Read it carefully as well as reread it each time you get Cordarone refilled.
• Cordarone is best used with food. But, it is more substantial to take it consistently with regard to meals. Incase you take it with food, try to always take it with food to improve absorption of this medicine. Incase you prefer to take it on an empty stomach, then always try to take it on an empty stomach.

Drug Class as well as Mechanism

Cordarone is an antiarrhythmic. It works by stabilizing the heart rhythm in conditions in which the heart is beating too quick or in an irregular rhythm.

Missed Dose

Incase you miss a dose of this medicine as well as you are using it regularly, take it as soon as likely. Incase you do not remember until later, skip the missed dose as well as go back to your normal dosing schedule. Do not take 2 doses at once.

Storage

Store at the room temperature away from moisture as well as sunlight. Keep out of the reach of children.

Warnings/Precautions

Do not take Cordarone if:

• you are allergic to any ingredient in Cordarone , including iodine;
• you possess total, subordinate degree, third degree, or very bad sinoatrial heart block; an abnormally unhurried heartbeat; or shock due to humorless heart problems; or incase you possess had fainting due to unhurried heartbeat (except incase you possess a pacemaker) ;
• you are using cisapride, dofetilide, an H1 antagonist (eg, astemizole, loratadine, terfenadine), an HIV protease inhibitor (eg, ritonavir), a phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors (eg, vardenafil), or a streptogramin (eg, dalfopristin, quinupristin).

Contact your doctor or health care provider fair away incase any of these apply to you.

Important:

• Cordarone may cause dizziness, lightheadedness, or blurred vision. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to Cordarone . Using Cordarone alone, with confident other medicines, or with alcohol may lessen your ability to drive or perform other potentially dangerous tasks.
• Long-term exposure to Cordarone may cause blue-gray discoloration of the skin, particularly of the face as well as hands. This effect is not harmful as well as usually reverses, sometimes incompletely, after the medicine is stopped. Avoiding prolonged exposure to the sun may help to halt this effect.
• Limit alcoholic beverages while using Cordarone .
• It may take several days to weeks for Cordarone to work. A response may not be seen for up to 3 weeks after the medicine is started.
• Cordarone stays in your body for weeks or months, even after you are no longer using it. Therefore, caution is advised not only during treatment, but for several months after treatment with Cordarone has stopped incase you are using any interacting medicines.
• Cordarone may cause skin reactions similar to humorless sunburn or sensitivity to sunlight. Avoid exposure to the sun, sunlamps, or tanning booths until you know how you react to Cordarone . Take a sunscreen or wear protective clothing incase you must be outside for a prolonged period.
• Before you possess any health examination or dental treatments, emergency care, or surgery (including eye surgery to correct vision problems), tell the doctor or dentist that you are using Cordarone .
• Your doctor may want you to check your pulse rate every day while you take Cordarone . Learn how to monitor your pulse.
• Carry an identification card at all times that says you are using Cordarone .
• Lab tests, including electrocardiogram (ECG), chest x-rays, lung tests, liver tests, thyroid tests, as well as eye exams, may be performed to monitor your progress. Be sure to keep all doctor as well as lab appointments.
• Take Cordarone with extreme caution in children. Safety as well as effectiveness possess not been confirmed.
• Pregnancy as well as breast-feeding: Cordarone has been shown to cause harm to the fetus. Incase you think you may be pregnant, discuss with your doctor the benefits as well as risks of using Cordarone during pregnancy. Cordarone is excreted in breast milk. Do not breast-feed while using Cordarone .

Likely Side Effects

Check with your doctor incase any of these most ordinary side effects persist or become bothersome:

• abnormal skin sensations (loss of sensation; tingling; numbness; prickling); pungent taste in mouth; blue-green discoloring of skin (especially hands or feet); constipation; decreased sexual interest; dizziness; moistureless eyes; flushing of the face; common body discomfort; headache; involuntary muscle movements; loss of appetite; nausea; without money coordination; tiredness; trouble sleeping; vomiting.

Seek health examination attention fair away incase any of these very bad side effects occur:

• very bad allergic reactions (rash; hives; difficulty breathing; tightness in the chest; swelling of the mouth, face, lips, or tongue); chest pain; chills, coldness; cough; coughing up blood; not light urine; decreased urination; easy bruising or bleeding; enlarged thyroid gland; eye discomfort; fatigue; fever; irregular pulse; loss of coordination; menstrual changes; muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness); nervousness; persistent sore throat; very bad dizziness; very bad stomach pain; shortness of breath; skin reaction similar to humorless sunburn; unhurried heartbeat; sluggishness; sweating; tingling or numbness of hands or feet; uncontrolled shaking or tremor; unexplained weight change; vision changes (seeing halos, blurred vision, loss of vision); wheezing; worsening of irregular heartbeat; yellowing of the skin or eyes.

More Information

It is substantial to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already using, including those bought without a prescription as well as herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before using any recent medicines while using this one, to ensure that the combination is protected.