Medications and Drugs

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Brand Names: Cordarone, Pacerone

Generic Name: amiodarone (oral) (Pronunciation: A mi OH da rone)

• What is amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• What are the possible side effects of amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• What is the most important information I should know about amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• How should I take amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• What happens if I miss a dose (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• What happens if I overdose (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• What should I avoid while taking amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• What other drugs will affect amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?
• Where can I get more information?

What is amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?

Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic medication that affects the rhythm of heartbeats.

Amiodarone is used to help keep the heart beating normally in people with life-threatening heart rhythm disorders of the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart that allow blood to flow out of the heart). Amiodarone is used to treat ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.

Amiodarone may also be used for other purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Amiodarone 200 mg-BAR

round, white, imprinted with b, 917 200

Amiodarone 200 mg-EON

round, yellow, imprinted with E 144

Amiodarone 200 mg-GG

round, white, imprinted with U-S 200, A

Amiodarone 200 mg-PAR

round, white, imprinted with G, AM 200

Amiodarone 200 mg-TAR

round, orange, imprinted with TARO 56

Amiodarone 200 mg-TEV

round, pink, imprinted with 93 9133

Amiodarone 400 mg-TAR

round, yellow, imprinted with TARO 59

Cordarone 200 mg

round, pink, imprinted with WYETH 4188, C 200

Pacerone 100 mg

round, white, imprinted with P, U-S 144

Pacerone 200 mg

round, pink, imprinted with P200, U-S 0147

Pacerone 400 mg

oblong, yellow, imprinted with P400, 0145

What are the possible side effects of amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects, even if they occur up to several months after you stop using amiodarone:

• a new or a worsening irregular heartbeat pattern;
• fast, slow, or pounding heartbeats;
• feeling like you might pass out;
• wheezing, cough, chest pain, trouble breathing, coughing up blood;
• blurred vision, vision loss, headache or pain behind your eyes, sometimes with vomiting;
• feeling short of breath, even with mild exertion, swelling, rapid weight gain;
• weight loss, thinning hair, feeling too hot or too cold, increased sweating, irregular menstrual periods, swelling in your neck (goiter);
• numbness, burning, pain, or tingling in your hands or feet; or
• nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, dark urine, clay-colored stools, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes).

Less serious side effects may include:

• feeling dizzy or tired;
• nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, constipation, loss of appetite;
• sleep problems (insomnia);
• weakness, lack of coordination; or
• warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What is the most important information I should know about amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone)?

Amiodarone is for use only in life-threatening situations. This medication has the potential to cause side effects that could be fatal, and you will receive your first few doses in a hospital setting.

Do not use this medication if you are allergic to amiodarone or iodine, or if you have certain heart conditions such as "AV block," or a history of slow heart beats.

Do not use amiodarone without telling your doctor if you are pregnant. It could harm the unborn baby. Use effective birth control, and tell your doctor if you become pregnant during treatment.

To be sure this medication is not causing harmful effects, your blood may need to be tested on a regular basis. Your thyroid and liver function may also need to be tested, and you may need eye exams and chest x-rays. Do not miss any scheduled appointments.

You may continue to have side effects from amiodarone after you stop taking it. It could take up to several months for the medicine to completely clear from your body.