Adverse reactions during treatment with amiodarone hydrochloride
Abstract
Amiodarone was administered to 80 patients with recurrent cardiac tachyarrhythmias previously resistant to drug treatment. Forty nine patients were treated for ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation and 31 for supra-ventricular arrhythmias. The mean (range six days to 51 months), permitting a total of 100 patient years of observation. Adverse reactions were observed in 69 patients. Severe side effects were encountered in 13: four patients developed interstitial pneumonitis, four patients developed incessant ventricular tachycardia, three patients taking amiodarone and digoxin sustained sinus node arrest with depression of escape foci, one patient developed hepatitis, and one patient developed hypercalcaemia with renal failure. Furthermore, a rise in the serum concentration of digoxin and potentiation of warfarin anticoagulation occurred in cases in which these agents were combined with amiodarone. Amiodarone was stopped in 14 patients because of side effects. Although amiodarone is effective in suppressing arrhythmias in most patients in whom extensive use of antiarrhythmic drugs has been unsuccessful, it is associated with diverse and serious toxicity. These observations suggest that at present the use of amiodarone should be...Continue Reading
References
Citations
Related Concepts
Related Feeds
Antiarrhythmic Agents: Mechanisms of Action
Understanding the mechanism of action of antiarrhythmic agents is essential in developing new medications as treatment of cardiac arrhythmias is currently limited by the reduced availability of safe and effective drugs. Discover the latest research on Antiarrhythmic Agents: Mechanism of Action here.
Atrial Fibrillation
Atrial fibrillation is a common arrhythmia that is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality, particularly due to stroke and thromboembolism. Here is the latest research.
Arrhythmia
Arrhythmias are abnormalities in heart rhythms, which can be either too fast or too slow. They can result from abnormalities of the initiation of an impulse or impulse conduction or a combination of both. Here is the latest research on arrhythmias.
Anti-Arrhythmic Drug Therapies
Anti-arrhythmic drugs are used to prevent abnormal heart rhythms. These medications are used in conditions including, ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation and atrial fibrillation. Discover the latest research on anti-arrhythmic drug therapies here.