| Category of Drug | Amiodarone is Antiarrhythmic Drugs |
| Mechanism of Action | |
| Indications | Amiodarone is used for 1. A severe rhythmic disorder where other therapies cannot be used including tachyarrhythmia associated with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome 2. Atrial flutter and fibrillation 3. All types of paroxysmal tachycardia |
| Well Known Pharmaceutical Brands | |
| Available dosage forms | 1. TABLETS 2. INJECTION |
| Dose | |
| Contraindications | 1. Sinus bradycardia 2. Sino-atrial heart block 3. Unless pacemaker fitted avoid in severe conduction disturbances or sinus node disease 4. Thyroid dysfunction 5. Iodine sensitivity 6. Goitre 7. Avoid intravenous use in severe respiratory failure 8. Circulatory collapse 9. Severe arterial hypotension 10. avoid bolus injection in congestive heart failure or cardiomyopathy 11. lactation 12. Pregnancy |
| Precautions | 1. Liver-funcon and thyroid-function tests required before treatment and then every 6 months 2. Hypokalaemia 3. Chest x-ray required before treatment 4. Heart failure 5. Elderly 6. Severe bradycardia and conduction disturbances in excessive dosage 7. Intravenous use may cause moderate and transient fall in blood pressure 8. ECG monitoring and resuscitation facilities must be available during intravenous use |
| Adverse Effects | 1. Nausea 2. Vomiting 3. Taste disturbances 4. Raised serum transaminases 5. Jaundice 6. Bradycardia 7. Pulmonary toxicity 8. Tremor 9. Sleep disorders 10. Hypothyroidism 11. Hyperthyroidism 12. Reversible corneal microdeposits 13. Phototoxicity 14. Persistent slate-grey skin discolouration 15. Conduction disturbances 16. Peripheral neuropathy and myopathy 17. Chronic liver disease including cirrhosis 18. Bronchospasm 19. Vertigo |
| Pregnancy Category | D |
