Amiodarone
Antiarrhythmic medication used for various types of irregular heartbeats / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic medication used to treat and prevent a number of types of cardiac dysrhythmias.[4] This includes ventricular tachycardia (VT), ventricular fibrillation (VF), and wide complex tachycardia, as well as atrial fibrillation and paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia.[4] Evidence in cardiac arrest, however, is poor.[5] It can be given by mouth, intravenously, or intraosseously.[4] When used by mouth, it can take a few weeks for effects to begin.[4][6]
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Pronunciation | /ˌæmiˈoʊdəroʊn/ or /əˈmiːoʊdəˌroʊn/ |
Trade names | Cordarone, Nexterone, Pacerone, others |
AHFS/Drugs.com | Monograph |
MedlinePlus | a687009 |
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Routes of administration | By mouth, intravenous, intraosseous |
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Bioavailability | 20–55% |
Protein binding | 96% |
Metabolism | Liver |
Elimination half-life | 58 d (range 15–142 d) |
Excretion | Primarily liver and bile |
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ECHA InfoCard | 100.016.157 |
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Formula | C25H29I2NO3 |
Molar mass | 645.320 g·mol−1 |
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Common side effects include feeling tired, tremor, nausea, and constipation.[4] As amiodarone can have serious side effects, it is mainly recommended only for significant ventricular arrhythmias.[4] Serious side effects include lung toxicity[7] such as interstitial pneumonitis, liver problems, heart arrhythmias, vision problems, thyroid problems, and death.[4] If taken during pregnancy or breastfeeding it can cause problems in the fetus or the infant.[4] It is a class III antiarrhythmic medication.[4] It works partly by increasing the time before a heart cell can contract again.[4][6]
Amiodarone was first made in 1961 and came into medical use in 1962 for chest pain believed to be related to the heart.[8] It was pulled from the market in 1967 due to side effects.[9] In 1974 it was found to be useful for arrhythmias and reintroduced.[9] It is on the World Health Organization's List of Essential Medicines.[10] It is available as a generic medication.[4] In 2021, it was the 235th most commonly prescribed medication in the United States, with more than 1 million prescriptions.[11][12][6]