Bottom line References Irina Shatilova/iStock via Getty Images Plus Amiodarone (Pacerone) is a heart rhythm medication known for causing side effects throughout your body
The second-line drug amiodarone was given to the patient for rate
Brain hypoperfusion, resulting from orthostatic hypotension from any cause, can lead to
Any drug that prolongs repolarization (eg, some antiarrhythmics, some antipsychotics, some antidepressants, some antihistamines, and some fluoroquinolones
Cordarone has several potentially fatal toxicities, including pulmonary toxicity
This medicine can also cause the abnormal heartbeats to get worse
Obtain baseline and periodic liver transaminases and discontinue or reduce dose if the increase exceeds three times normal, or doubles in a patient with an elevated baseline
Compared with many other antiarrhythmic drugs, amiodarone causes few cardiovascular adverse effects This has the advantage that if it causes hypotension it can be stopped and will wear off fairly rapidly (over ~10 minutes)
Fentanyl (CYP3A4 substrate) in combination with amiodarone may cause hypotension, bradycardia, and decreased cardiac output
Furthermore, all the IV antiarrhythmic medications available except digoxin (beta blockers, calcium blockers, procainamide, sotalol, and amiodarone) can cause acute hypotension
Hypotension is the most frequent adverse event reported with intravenous amiodarone
Obtain baseline and periodic liver transaminases and discontinue or reduce dose if the increase exceeds three times normal, or doubles in a patient with an elevated baseline
Amiodarone hydrochloride tablets can cause pulmonary toxicity (hypersensitivity pneumonitis or interstitial/alveolar pneumonitis) that has resulted in clinically manifest disease at rates as high as 17% in some series of patients
The prevalence of orthostatic hypotension varies from 5 to 20 percent