Information About Amiodarone Hcl

Common uses
Amiodarone Hcl is an antiarrhythmic used to treat an irregular heartbeat and to maintain a normal heart rate. It may also be used to treat other conditions as determined by your physician.

Prior to Use
Amiodarone should be used under close medical supervision. A response may not be seen until up to 3 weeks after the medicine is started. Amiodarone stays in your body for weeks or months, even after you are no longer taking it. Therefore, caution is advised not only during treatment, but for several months after amiodarone treatment has stopped, if you are taking any medicines that may interact with it. Consult your physician or pharmacist for more information. Severe (rarely fatal) lung or liver problems have occurred in patients using Amiodarone Hcl. Contact your physician immediately if you experience any of these serious side effects: cough, fever, chills, chest pain, difficult or painful breathing, severe stomach pain, fatigue, yellowing eyes or skin, or dark urine. Like other medicines used to treat irregular heartbeats, Amiodarone Hcl can infrequently make an irregular heartbeat worse. Due to the lingering amount of Amiodarone Hcl in your body, heartbeat problems may occur even months after Amiodarone Hcl has been stopped. Be aware that pre-existing medical conditions, or taking additional medications could interfere with the effectiveness of this one. Inform your DOCTOR/PHARMACIST of all prescription and over-the-counter medicine that you are taking. If you are taking any of the following, do not use Amiodarone Hcl: agalsidase beta, dofetilide, certain HIV protease inhibitors (nelfinavir, ritonavir) or quinupristin/dalfopristin. If you are taking any of these medicines contact your physician/pharmacist before taking amiodarone. Other medicines besides amiodarone which may affect the heart rhythm (QTc prolongation) include flecainide, disopyramide, pimozide, quinidine, sotalol, procainamide, and sparfloxacin among others. QTc prolongation can infrequently result in serious, rarely fatal, irregular heartbeats. For details, contact your physician or pharmacist. Ask for instructions about whether you need to stop any other QTc-prolonging medicines you may be using in order to minimize the risk of this effect. If you are taking any of the following, your dose or condition may need regular supervision: "blood thinners" (e.g., warfarin), cimetidine, cyclosporine, digoxin, fentanyl, local/general anesthesia, heart medicines (e.g., diltiazem, verapamil, beta-blockers such as propranolol), other HIV protease inhibitors (e.g., amprenavir), methotrexate, phenytoin, rifampin, "statins" (e.g., simvastatin), or St. John's wort. Inform your physician of any other medical conditions including liver or lung disease, heart problems (e.g., congestive heart failure, low blood pressure), thyroid problems, upcoming major surgery, electrolyte problems such as low potassium/magnesium levels, allergies, pregnancy, or breast-feeding. You should not take Amiodarone Hcl if you have a history of certain types of irregular heartbeats or heart rhythms (e.g., severe sinus node dysfunction resulting in marked sinus bradycardia, second or third degree atrioventricular block, bradycardia with associated syncope except when a pacemaker is used).

Instructions for Use
Follow your physician's instructions for taking Amiodarone Hcl. Amiodarone Hcl is best taken with food. However, it is more important to take it consistently, with regard to meals. If taken with food, try to always take with food to improve absorption of Amiodarone Hcl. If you prefer to take on an empty stomach, then always try to take on an empty stomach. Ask your pharmacist for more information. Avoid eating grapefruit or drinking grapefruit juice while being treated with Amiodarone Hcl. Amiodarone Hcl works best when there is a constant level of the medicine in your body. Take Amiodarone Hcl regularly around the clock, unless otherwise directed by your physician. Take Amiodarone Hcl at the same time each day. Store Amiodarone Hcl at room temperature 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) in a tightly-closed container, away from heat, moisture, and light. Should you skip or forget a dose of Amiodarone Hcl, begin using it immediately. If it is almost time for your next dose, omit the skipped dose and continue to follow your original dosing schedule. Never take more than one dose at the same time.

Warnings
It may take several days to weeks for Amiodarone Hcl to work. Do not stop taking Amiodarone Hcl or change the dose without checking with your physician. Some conditions may become worse when the medicine is suddenly stopped or when more medicine is taken than prescribed. Keep all physician and laboratory appointments while you are taking Amiodarone Hcl. Laboratory and/or medical tests (e.g. , ekg, chest x-rays, lung tests, liver tests, thyroid tests, eye exams) should be performed periodically to monitor your progress or check for side effects. Consult your physician for more details. Tell the physician or dentist that you are taking Amiodarone Hcl before you have any medical or dental treatments. Amiodarone Hcl may cause dizziness. Do not drive, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous until you know how you react to Amiodarone Hcl. Limit alcoholic beverages while taking Amiodarone Hcl. This drug may cause serious vision changes such as seeing halos and blurred vision. Very rarely, cases of permanent blindness have been reported. Tell your physician immediately if you develop any vision changes. Amiodarone Hcl may cause increased sensitivity to the sun. Avoid exposure to the sun or sunlamps until you know how you react to Amiodarone Hcl. Use a sunscreen or protective clothing if you must be outside for a prolonged period. Before you begin taking any new medicine, either prescription or over-the-counter, consult your pharmacist or physician . This includes any medicine that contains cimetidine. Women, Amiodarone Hcl has been shown to cause harm to the human fetus. If you plan on becoming pregnant, discuss with your physician the benefits and risks of using Amiodarone Hcl during pregnancy. Amiodarone Hcl is excreted in breast milk do not breast-feed while taking Amiodarone Hcl.

Potential Side Effects
Also see the before using Amiodarone Hcl section. Side effects you may experience while using Amiodarone Hcl include constipation, loss of appetite, bitter taste in mouth, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, trouble sleeping, headache, flushing of the face, or decreased sexual interest. Consult your physician if they do not go away or if they bring you difficulties. Amiodarone when used in combination with simvastatin, may infrequently cause muscle damage (which can rarely lead to a very serious condition called rhabdomyolysis). Contact your physician immediately if you develop muscle pain, tenderness, or weakness (especially with fever or unusual tiredness). Contact your physician immediately if you experience coldness, sweating, unexplained weight change, enlarged thyroid gland, nervousness, uncontrolled shaking or tremor, sluggishness, loss of coordination, tingling or numbness of hands or feet, irregular pulse, vision changes (e.g., seeing halos, blurred vision, or loss of vision), easy bruising or bleeding, or persistent sore throat. Amiodarone Hcl may cause skin reactions similar to a serious sunburn. Infrequently with long-term amiodarone treatment, you may develop blue-gray discoloring of the skin, particularly of the face and hands. This effect is not harmful and usually reverses, sometimes incompletely, after the medicine is stopped. Avoiding prolonged sun exposure may help to prevent this effect (also see CAUTIONS section). An allergic reaction to Amiodarone Hcl is unlikely but seek immediate medical attention if it occurs. Symptoms of an allergic reaction include rash, itching, swelling, severe dizziness, or trouble breathing. Let your physician, pharmacist, or nurse know if you experience any side-effects not listed here.

Drug interactions
Drug interactions can result in unwanted side effects or prevent a medicine from doing its job.

In Case of Overdose
Contact a poison control center or visit an emergency room immediately, if you think you have overdosed. Indications of an overdose are weakness, severe dizziness, unusually slow pulse, or fainting.

Additional information
Your physician may want you to check your pulse rate every day while you take Amiodarone Hcl. Learn how to monitor your pulse. Carry an identification card at all times that says you are taking Amiodarone Hcl. Do not let anyone else use Amiodarone Hcl. Do not take Amiodarone Hcl to treat health conditions other than what it was prescribed for. Store this and all medication away from the reach of children and pets. If using Amiodarone Hcl for an extended period of time, obtain refills before your supply runs out.