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Indications - Amiodarone is used for many serious arrhythmias of the heart including ventricular fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia, atrial fibrillation, and atrial flutter.

Dosage & Administration - The oral dose is 200 mg 3 times daily for 1 week reduced to 200 mg twice daily or the minimum required to control arrhythmia. Amiodarone is usually given in several daily doses to minimize stomach upset which is seen more frequently with higher doses. For this same reason, it is also recommended that Amiodarone should be taken with meals.

Side Effects - The most severe side effects of Amiodarone therapy are related to the lungs. These reactions can be fatal. Patients should report any symptoms of cough, fever, or painful breathing. Although quite rare, fatal liver toxicity may occur with Amiodarone therapy. Reversible corneal microdeposits (sometimes with night glare), rarely impaired vision due to optic neuritis; peripheral neuropathy and myopathy (usually reversible on withdrawal); bradycardia and conduction disturbances; phototoxicity and rarely persistent skin discolouration; hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism; raised serum transaminases; jaundice, hepatitis and cirrhosis are reported. Other rare complaints are nausea, vomiting, metallic taste, tremor, sweating, vertigo, headache, sleeplessness, fatigue, alopecia, benign raised intracranial pressure, ataxia, rashes, vasculitis, renal involvement, thrombocytopenia, haemolytic or aplastic anaemia. In some cases, dose of Amiodarone may be reduced. In other cases, Amiodarone therapy may need to be stopped.

Contraindications - Amiodarone is contraindicated in patients with cardiogenic shock; severe sinus-node dysfunction, causing marked sinus bradycardia; second- or third degree atrioventricular block; and when episodes of bradycardia have caused syncope (except when used in conjunction with a pacemaker). Amiodarone is contraindicated in patients with a known hypersensitivity to the drug or to any of its components, including iodine.

Others - Pregnancy & Lactation In general, Amiodarone should not be administered during pregnancy because there have been reports of hypo or hyperthyroidism in infants from oral Amiodarone use during pregnancy. If Amiodarone use is considered essential, however, the patient should be warned of the risk to the foetus. The safe use of Amiodarone in lactating women has not been established.