By Is amiodarone safe for elderly patients?
Older people taking amiodarone are at greater risk of developing either an over-active or an under-active thyroid. Amiodarone is also toxic to the skin and lungs. Pulmonary toxicity is more common in older people, and it increases threefold every 10 years of age in patients over 60.
Can you use amiodarone for atrial fibrillation?
Amiodarone is a potent antiarrhythmic agent that is used to treat ventricular arrhythmias and atrial fibrillation. The drug prevents the recurrence of life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias and produces a modest reduction of sudden deaths in high-risk patients.
How long is it safe to be on amiodarone?
This meta-analysis shows that use of amiodarone, as part of a strategy to achieve sinus rhythm, in the treatment of persistent AF (>30 days’ duration) appears to be safe and effective. However, this strategy was associated with a significant incidence of withdrawal of treatment because of adverse effects.
How much amiodarone can I take for AFIB?
In our study, standard high dose intravenous amiodarone maintenance treatment following a loading dose of 300 mg/30 mins represents effective treatment for acute onset atrial fibrillation or flutter in the routine coronary care unit setting.
What can you take instead of amiodarone?
Dronedarone has been viewed as a potential therapeutic alternative for amiodarone because of a lower risk for pulmonary, thyroid, and dermatologic adverse effects. Compared with amiodarone, dronedarone has poor bioavailability and a shorter terminal disposition half-life, which dictates a twice-daily dosing regimen.
Does amiodarone cause dementia?
English language articles were searched in Ovid, MEDLINE, and PubMed using the search term amiodarone alone and combined with the following terms: CNS toxicity, neurological toxicity, tremor, ataxia, peripheral neuropathy, dementia, dizziness, lethargy, confusion, delirium, bradycardia, thyroid, and elderly or limited …
What is the drug of choice for atrial fibrillation?
The treatment of choice for urgent conversion of symptomatic unstable atrial fibrillation is DC cardioversion. Antiarrhythmic drugs, particularly amiodarone, are also used to restore and maintain normal sinus rhythm.
Do you have to take amiodarone for life?
This medication must be taken regularly for one to three weeks before a response is seen and for several months before the full effect occurs. Due to the drug’s long half-life, it will remain in your body for up to two months. How should it be used? Amiodarone comes in tablets.
Can amiodarone be toxic?
Pulmonary toxicity is estimated to occur in approximately 5% of patients taking amiodarone and is considered to be the most serious adverse effect associated with its use1. Early recognition of toxicity and withdrawal of amiodarone is associated with a good prognosis in the majority of patients.