Cordarone (amiodarone) is a medication used to treat ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation, both potentially fatal heart rhythm disorders. According to MedlinePlus, this medication belongs to a category of medicines called antiarrythmics. It is available as a tablet and is typically taken one to two times a day.
Routine Side Effects
According to the Drugs website, Cordarone can cause stomach pain, nausea, vomiting, trouble sleeping, poor appetite and weakness. It can also cause lack of coordination and tingling or numbness of your skin. MedlinePlus indicates that Cordarone can cause a decreased libido (sex drive), changes in your saliva production, a headache and changes in your sense of taste and smell. Fortunately, these side effects are typically temporary but inform your doctor whether these effects remain for three to four days.
Harmful Side Effects
MedlinePlus says that Cordarone can cause restlessness, involuntary movements, eye pain, hair thinning and fluctuations in your weight. It can cause menstrual irregularities, goiter (an enlarged thyroid gland), diaphoresis (sweating) and swelling of your feet, hands, legs or ankles. Cordarone's other dangerous side effects include jaundice (yellowing of your skin or eyes), an irregular heartbeat, tachycardia (fast heartbeat), bradycardia (slow heartbeat) and a pounding heartbeat. Cordarone can cause a fever, dark-colored urine, light-colored stools, fainting spells, hemoptysis (coughing up blood), blurry vision and trouble breathing. Call 911 when any of these effects occur.
According to the National Library of Medicine, Cordarone can lead to pulmonary (lung) toxicity, such as hypersensitivity pneumonitis (a type of lung inflammation), which can be potentially fatal. Cordarone can cause liver damage, exacerbate your arrythmia (irregular heartbeat) and provoke visual problems, such as optic neuritis.
Other Side Effects
The National Library of Medicine says that Cordarone can also cause photosensitivity (a condition in which your skin is extremely sensitive to sunlight exposure), pulmonary fibrosis (scarring of your lung tissues), congestive heart failure, ecchymosis (bruising), hypotension (low blood pressure) and confusion. It can cause wheezing, pruritis (itching), rhabdomyolysis (skeletal muscle breakdown), hallucinations and impotence.
Miscellaneous Concerns
Avoid Cordarone if you are hypersensitive to amiodarone. Taking this medication can lead to hives, trouble breathing and edema (swelling of your face, lips or throat). Additionally, the Drugs website indicates that you should tell your doctor whether you have asthma, visual problems, high or low blood pressure, asthma or an electrolyte imbalance. Cordarone may increase your chances of getting the aforementioned side effects.
Avoid Cordarone when you are pregnant or breastfeeding. This medication can harm your baby. Finally, tell your doctor if you are taking such medications as cimetidine, clopidogrel, St. John's Wort, a diuretic, diclofenac, digoxin or loratidine. Any of these drugs can combine with Cordarone and cause the aforementioned effects.
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