What they do
Antiarrhythmic
medicines are used to control abnormal heart rhythms. However, your doctor will be aware that several antiarrhythmics may be harmful for people with heart failure and should be avoided.
Antiarrhythmic agents include the following classes of medicines:
- Class I agents are not usually prescribed for people with heart failure
- Class II agents are beta blockers
- Class III agents include amiodarone, doferilide, ibutilide, sotalol
- Class IV agents are calcium channel blockers
- Class V agents include digoxin
Side effects
The side effects of antiarrhythmics depend on which class of medicine you are taking. Talk to your doctor, nurse or pharmacist about the side effects that may occur with the medicine you have been prescribed.
Most people taking calcium channel blockers have either no side effects or only mild headaches and flushing, which tend to ease over a few days. Ankle swelling is common with certain calcium channel blockers.
Amiodarone increases you skin's sensitivity to sunlight, causing it to burn easily. You should try and avoid exposure to the sun and sunbeds or use a high factor sunscreen. Amiodarone can also affect your eyesight, which can be particularly problematic with driving at night. Long-term therapy may also affect thyroid function which must be monitored regularly.
Click here for more information on the side effects of beta blockers
Click here for more information on the side effects of digoxin
Top tips
If you are taking a calcium channel blocker you should avoid drinking grapefruit juice as this can alter the effect of the medicine.
Also known as:
Class II agents (beta blockers) - click here for more information
Class III agents
- Amiodarone
(Cordarone X®, Pacerone®)
- Doferilide
(Tikosyn®)
- Ibutilide
- Sotalol
(Betapace®, Betapace AF®, Sorine®, Beta-Cardone®, Sotacor®)
Class IV agents (calcium channel blockers)
- Amlodipine
(Amlostin®, Istin®)
- Felodipine
(Cardioplen XL®, Felogen XL®, Felotens XL®, Keloc SR®, Neofel XL®, Vascalpa®, Plendil®)
- Isradipine
(Precal®)
- Lacidipine
(Motens®)
- Lercanidipine
(Zanidip®)
- Nisoldipine
(Syscor MR®)
Class V agents - Click here for more information on digoxin
Return to Heart failure medicines