Amiodarone

Generic name: amiodarone tablets (oral) [ A-mi-OH-da-rone ]
Brand name: Pacerone
Drug class:Group III antiarrhythmics

Medically reviewed by Philip Thornton, DipPharm. Last updated on May 18, 2022.

What is amiodarone?

Amiodarone affects the rhythm of your heartbeats. It is used to help keep the heart beating normally in people with life-threatening heart rhythm disorders of the ventricles (the lower chambers of the heart that allow blood to flow out of the heart).

Amiodarone is used to treat ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation.

Amiodarone is for use only in treating life-threatening heart rhythm disorders.

Warnings

Amiodarone can cause dangerous side effects on your heart, liver, lungs, or vision.

You should not take this medicine if you are allergic to amiodarone or iodine, or if you have heart block, a history of slow heartbeats that have caused you to faint, or if your heart cannot pump blood properly.

Call your doctor or get medical help at once if you have: chest pain, fast or pounding heartbeats, trouble breathing, vision problems, upper stomach pain, vomiting, dark urine, jaundice (yellowing of the skin or eyes), or if you cough up blood.

Tell your doctor if you have signs of a thyroid problem, such as weight changes, extreme tiredness, dry skin, thinning hair, feeling too hot or too cold, irregular menstrual periods, or swelling in your neck (goiter).

Before taking this medicine

You should not use amiodarone if you have:

• a serious heart condition cal...