Pill Pictures
Patients are sometimes ‘fast-loaded’ with amiodarone following ventricular tachycardia
Dosage Administration
In 1997, a meta-analysis of low-dose amiodarone, defined as less than
0 mg/dL, ALT
8 Pulmonary toxicity has been reported with maintenance doses greater than
) If side effects become excessive, the dose
In one study, this affected 10-17% of participants prescribed 400 mg/day of amiodarone
The effects of amiodarone may continue to increase for several weeks Initiate treatment with a loading doses of 800 to 1600 mg/day until initial therapeutic response occurs (usually 1 to 3 weeks)
Initiate treatment with a loading doses of 800 to 1600 mg/day until initial therapeutic response occurs (usually 1 to 3 weeks)
Age 1 year: 600-800 mg/1
Then the dose goes down to 600 mg to 800 mg per day for one month, then 400 mg per day long-term
Dose: 400 mg PO qd; Start: load 800-1600 mg PO qd x1-3wk until response, then 400-600 mg PO qd x4wk; Info: divide loading doses >1000 mg/day bid-tid w/ meals; divide maint
Thereafter, the daily oral dose is reduced to 400 to 600 mg for the next 4 weeks
4 The lowest effective loading and maintenance dose should be used in older patients and dose increases should be Allergic reactions—skin rash, itching, hives, swelling of the face, lips, tongue, or throat
Amiodarone is widely prescribed, largely due to its efficacy in the management of both supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias
Both studies had weeks-long loading
8 mL/hr