What do you think of amioderone?

[Ray Norsworthy]

Frankly, it scares me shirtless.

 

[kfay]

Well, it's certainly not a drug I would want to be on long term, but I was on it for 3 months post op after my surgery and I was fine with it. My Dr's had discussions later on about putting me back on it, but decided that I was too young (late 40's) to be on and being fair and living in the south were also two negatives they mentioned.

Are you taking it now?

 

[epstns]

Immediately following surgery I was taking Amiodarone for about 3 months. When considering my options, should long-term therapy become necessary, my cardio said he would prefer to switch me from amiodarone to Multaq. He felt that it would affort most of the benefits of amiodarone without the nasty side effects. Fortunately, I haven't needed either since, but if your cardio is suggesting amiodarone, I would ask him/her about Multaq.

 

[Cooker]

I was on it before my AVR/Ablation and for several months after ... I did not have a problem with it but I was a short term user....

 

[ChicagoMammy]

I was on it too for a few months and was scared reading the side-effects. No problems here.

 

[Bina]

Ray, keep your shirt on Many docs will prescribe Amiodarone for the short term because it works well, but it isn't
a drug that you want to be on for the long term.

 

[Superbob]

My understanding is it's a very effective drug short-term, but one to be wary of staying on very long. I was on it just a few weeks or so after surgery. You are right to be looking into the side-effects -- talk to your doctor about your concerns.

 

[Lynlw]

Immediately following surgery I was taking Amiodarone for about 3 months. When considering my options, should long-term therapy become necessary, my cardio said he would prefer to switch me from amiodarone to Multaq. He felt that it would affort most of the benefits of amiodarone without the nasty side effects. Fortunately, I haven't needed either since, but if your cardio is suggesting amiodarone, I would ask him/her about Multaq.

There have been quite a few articles lately about problems with Multaq and some countries restricting its use because of the side effects that are showing up. Here is part of one of the recent ones, but if you search Multaq quite a few recnt articles come up

http://www.theheart.org/article/1283205.do
London, UK - The European Medicines Agency (EMA) recommends restricting the use of the antiarrhythmic medication dronedarone (Multaq, Sanofi-Aventis) [1]. The committee states that because of the increased risk of liver, lung, and cardiovascular adverse events, dronedarone "should only be prescribed after alternative treatment options have been considered." Patients currently taking dronedarone should have their treatment reassessed by their physician at their next scheduled visit, the EMA reports....

Dronedarone is currently approved for the treatment of paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, and according to the EMA's Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP), the drug should be used only in this population for the maintenance of sinus rhythm.

The recommendations are based on a review of the PALLAS trial, as well as other data suggesting an increased risk of liver and lung injury with dronedarone. In PALLAS, a study of patients with permanent atrial fibrillation, the data and safety monitoring committee stopped the trial early when they noticed an increased risk of cardiovascular events among patients with permanent atrial fibrillation treated with the drug compared with placebo. The CHMP initiated the review of the overall balance of benefit and risk early this year based on reports of severe liver injury with dronedarone. During the review, PALLAS was halted, and the committee was made aware of the increased risk of cardiovascular side effects—cardiovascular death, hospitalization, and stroke—with dronedarone, and based on this included cardiovascular safety in its overall assessment of the drug.

Based on its review, the CHMP was concerned that the "cardiovascular events shown in the population in the PALLAS study could mean an increased risk of cardiovascular side effects for some patients with nonpermanent atrial fibrillation." Despite restricting use, there are limited treatment options for patients with nonpermanent atrial fibrillation, according to the CHMP, so dronedarone might be a useful treatment option in selected patients.

The CHMP therefore was of the opinion that "the benefits of Multaq outweigh its risks in these patients, provided that further changes to the information for prescribers and patients will be introduced to minimize the risk of injury to the liver, lung, and heart."....

 

[sue943]

I took amiodarone for a few months, I don't remember how many but my cardiologist wanted me off as soon as possible - but it did its job.

 

[Greg a]

I was admitted to St Mary's on Sat afternoon as I THOUGHT I had been shocked four times that week went up to cardio;ogy floor where ia was set up with a monitor transmitter so that I could move freely around the floor and monitored 24/7



Sunday luckily the Registered Nurse Practicioner that reads my ICD happened into the hospital to do some reseaerch heard I was in and came up equipped to read my ICD she told me that all four times (six in total) the delivery of "therapy" was warranted as my HR was up to 180 b/m the upper tolerence of my ICD. I have never felt the shock as it has been described as a mule kick and asked why that was .......she explained that I had likely passed out while the charge was ramped up.....this seems to explain why Sharon on Wed mornimng described me as doing the funkey chicken but I had not felt a thing and that nuight the hospital called about an episode that I was not aware of as my bedside "carelink" unit had reported the distress then oddly enough there was no transmission for the next three (this she still wants to delve into with Medtronics.



She reported her findings to the duty cardiologist who has put me on AMIODARONE another heart regulating drug and watched me for two days to make sure the iodone based drug was not going to turn my skin a grey-blue colour http http://webcache.googleusercontent.c...e+skin+color+effects&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca grow a while beard and poof PAPA SMURF



The drug seems to be doing its GOOD thing, we can only hope that it does not do the bad things listed as side effects at the attached link ....the kidney and lung and other things can be reversed but the skin colour NOT



So we are in a wait see mode for now

 

[Bina]

^^Greg, hopefully the Amiodarone will be a short term thing that will kick your heart into behaving

 

[tobagotwo]

To make Multaq, they removed the iodine component, which was a major problem with Amiodorone. After reading Lyn's post about Multaq, please note that Multaq was developed from Amiodorone as a less toxic alternative. Let that sink in a bit. It has a Black Box warning from the FDA (as does Amiodorone).

Amiodorone can be a miracle drug in some cases for arrhythmias, but has a very nasty list of side effects, and side effects are not uncommon in those taking it. The concensus is that you shouldn't stay on it long. It can contribute to a number of major issues, including thyroid and liver disease. If you realize it's causing an adverse effect in you, it can still take six months to a year for Amiodorone to completely leave your system after you stop taking it.

Do a search on this site for Amiodorone. It's had a lot of discussion here. I wouldn't rule it out for stopping AFib or other dangerous arrhythmias (I took it briefly), but I wouldn't (and didn't) stay on it long.

Best wishes,

 

[Tom Berning]

I've been on Amiodarone for about a month now after a bout of a-fib. I was almost sorry that I read the warning sheet. At my initial dosage it made me sick and I got my cardio to cut the dose in half. After ten days or so and another dosage reduction it was tolerable. I'm now on 300mg a day, hopefully only for a few more weeks.

Tom

 

[neil]

was on it for 3 months for af, it did the trick and no side effects