Cordarone X intravenous

Side effects

Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.

- Injection site reactions, such as pain, redness, swelling, hardening of the skin, infection or pigmentation changes
- Nausea
- Decrease in blood pressure
- Slower than normal heart beat (bradycardia)
- New or worsening abnormal heartbeat
- Interference with functioning of the thyroid gland (over or under activity)
- Lung disorders
- Breathing problems
- Liver problems
- Headache
- Sweating
- Hot flushes
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock)
- For other side effects of longer-term amiodarone treatment see the Cordarone X tablets factsheet linked below

The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the drug's manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How can this medicine affect other medicines?

It is important to tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to ensure that the combination is safe.

There following medicines may increase the risk of a prolonged QT interval on the heart monitoring trace (ECG) if they are taken in combination with amiodarone. As this could increase the risk of an irregular heartbeat called Torsades de Pointes, these medicines must not be taken with amiodarone:

- other anti-arrhythmics, eg disopyramide, procainamide, quinidine, sotalol, bretylium
- intravenous injection of the antibiotics erythromycin, pentamidine or co-trimoxazole
- tricyclic antidepressants, eg doxepin, amitriptyline
- lithium
- the antihistamines terfenadine, astemizole and mizolastine
- antimalarials, eg chloroquine, quinine, mefloquine, halofantrine
- certain antipsychotics, eg chlorpromazine, thioridazine, fluphenazine, pimozide, haloperidol, amisulpiride and sertindole

There is an increased risk of slowed conduction of electrical signals within the heart and a slow heart rate if amiodarone is used with the following; these medicines are not recommended in combination with amiodarone:

- beta-blockers such as propranolol
- the calcium channel blockers diltiazem and verapamil.

The following medicines are not recommended for use in combination with amiodarone because they may lower the amount of potassium or magnesium in the blood, which could increase the risk of side effects on the heart:

- stimulant laxatives, eg senna
- diuretics
- corticosteroids by mouth or injection
- tetracosactide
- intravenous amphotericin.

Amiodarone may increase the blood levels of the following medicines and their dose may therefore need to be reduced if they are used in combination with amiodarone:

- anticoagulants such as warfarin
- ciclosporin
- digoxin
- flecainide
- phenytoin.

Other medicines containing the same active ingredients

Cordarone X tablets

Amiodarone tablets and injection are also available as the generic medicine, ie without a brand name.

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