FDA

Amiodarone Hydrochloride

Approved 15 Oct 2002InjectionInjectable

The FDA lists this product in 42 strengths and forms.

Indications

Amiodarone HCl injection is indicated for initiation of treatment and prophylaxis of frequently recurring ventricular fibrillation and hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia in patients refractory to other therapy. Amiodarone HCl injection also can be used to treat patients with VT/VF for whom oral amiodarone is indicated, but who are unable to take oral medication. During or after treatment with amiodarone HCl injection, patients may be transferred to oral amiodarone therapy (see DOSAGE & ADMINISTRATION ).

Amiodarone HCl injection should be used for acute treatment until the patient’s ventricular arrhythmias are stabilized. Most patients will require this therapy for 48 to 96 hours, but amiodarone HCl injection may be safely administered for longer periods if necessary.

Contraindications

Amiodarone HCl injection is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any of the components of amiodarone HCl injection, including iodine, or in patients with cardiogenic shock, marked sinus bradycardia, and second- or third-degree AV block unless a functioning pacemaker is available.

Warnings and precautions

Hypotension Hypotension is the most common adverse effect seen with Amiodarone HCl injection. In clinical trials, treatment-emergent, drug-related hypotension was reported as an adverse effect in 288 (16%) of 1836 patients treated with amiodarone HCl injection. Clinically significant hypotension during infusions was seen most often in the first several hours of treatment and was not dose-related, but appeared to be related to the rate of infusion.

Hypotension necessitating alterations in amiodarone HCl injection therapy was reported in 3% of patients, with permanent discontinuation required in less than 2% of patients. Hypotension should be treated initially by slowing the infusion; additional standard therapy may be needed, including the following: vasopressor drugs, positive inotropic agents, and volume expansion. The initial rate of infusion should be monitored closely and should not exceed that prescribed in DOSAGE & ADMINISTRATION .

Indications

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

Interactions

Amiodarone is a substrate for CYP3A and CYP2C8, so inhibitors and inducers affect amiodarone exposure ( 7 ) Amiodarone inhibits p-glycoprotein and CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, and CYP3A, increasing exposure to other drugs ( 7 )

7.1Pharmacodynamic Interactions

Drugs prolonging the QT interval: Co-administration of drugs prolonging the QT interval (such as class I and III antiarrhythmics, lithium, certain phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, certain fluoroquinolone and macrolide antibiotics, azole antifungals, halogenated inhalation anesthetic agents) increases the risk of Torsade de Pointes. In general, avoid concomitant use of drugs that prolong the QT interval [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.4 )] .

Drugs that slow heart rate: Concomitant use of drugs with depressant effects on the sinus and AV nodes (e.g., digoxin, beta blockers, verapamil, diltiazem, ivabradine, clonidine) can potentiate the electrophysiologic and hemodynamic effects of amiodarone, resulting in bradycardia, sinus arrest, and AV block. Monitor heart rate in patients on amiodarone and concomitant drugs that slow heart rate.

7.2Pharmacokinetic Interactions Effect

of other drugs on amiodarone Amiodarone is metabolized to the active metabolite desethylamiodarone (DEA) by the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme group, specifically CYP3A and CYP2C8. Amiodarone has the potential for interactions with drugs or substances that may be substrates, inhibitors or inducers of CYP450 enzymes (e.g., inhibitors such as protease inhibitors , grapefruit juice, certain fluoroquinolone and macrolide antibiotics, azole antifungals and inducers such as St.

John's Wort ) or P- glycoprotein. In view of the long and variable half- life of amiodarone, potential for drug interactions exists not only with concomitant medications but also with drugs administered after discontinuation of amiodarone [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . Patients should avoid grapefruit juice beverages while taking amiodarone because exposure to amiodarone is significantly increased [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] .

Effect of amiodarone on other drugs Amiodarone and DEA are inhibitors of P-glycoprotein and certain CYP450 enzymes, including CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, and CYP3A [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . Antiarrhythmics: The metabolism of quinidine, procainamide, and flecainide can be inhibited by amiodarone. In general, initiate any added antiarrhythmic drug at a lower than usual dose and monitor the patient carefully. During transfer to oral amiodarone, reduce the dose levels of previously administered antiarrhythmic agents by 30 to 50% several days after the addition of oral amiodarone.

Review the continued need for the other antiarrhythmic agent after the effects of amiodarone have been established, and attempt discontinuation [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] . Digoxin : In patients receiving digoxin therapy, administration of oral amiodarone results in an increase in serum digoxin concentration. Reduce dose of digoxin by half or discontinue digoxin. If digitalis treatment is continued, monitor serum levels closely and observe patients for clinical evidence of toxicity [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.3 )] .

HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors : Limit the dose of simvastatin in patients on amiodarone to 20 mg daily. Limit the daily dose of lovastatin to 40 mg. Lower starting and maintenance doses of other CYP3A4 substrates (e.g., atorvastatin) may be required as amiodarone may increase the plasma concentration of these drugs. Anticoagulants : Potentiation of warfarin -type (CYP2C9 and CYP3A substrate) anticoagulant response is almost always seen in patients receiving amiodarone and can result in serious or fatal bleeding.

Since the concomitant administration of warfarin with amiodarone increases INR by 100% after 3 to 4 days, reduce the dose of the anticoagulant by one-third to one-half, and monitor INR closely. Cyclosporine (CYP3A substrate) administered in combination with oral amiodarone has been reported to produce persistently elevated plasma concentrations of cyclosporine resulting in elevated creatinine, despite reduction in dose of cyclosporine.

Monitor cyclosporine drug levels and renal function in patients taking both drugs. Increased steady-state levels of phenytoin during concomitant therapy with amiodarone have been reported. Monitor phenytoin levels in patients taking both drugs.

7.3Serious Symptomatic Bradycardia When Co-administered with Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir or with Sofosbuvir with Simeprevir

Postmarketing cases of symptomatic bradycardia, some requiring pacemaker insertion and at least one fatal, have been reported when ledipasvir/sofosbuvir or sofosbuvir with simeprevir were initiated in patients on amiodarone. Bradycardia generally occurred within hours to days, but in some cases up to 2 weeks after initiating antiviral treatment. Bradycardia generally resolved after discontinuation of antiviral treatment.

The mechanism for this effect is unknown. Monitor heart rate in patients taking or recently discontinuing amiodarone when starting antiviral treatment.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

8.1Pregnancy Pregnancy Category

D [see Warnings and Precautions ( 5.8 )] . Teratogenic Effects Amiodarone and desethylamiodarone cross the placenta. Reported risks include: neonatal bradycardia, QT prolongation, and periodic ventricular extrasystoles neonatal hypothyroidism (with or without goiter) detected antenatally or in the newborn and reported even after a few days of exposure neonatal hyperthyroxinemia neurodevelopmental abnormalities independent of thyroid function, including speech delay and difficulties with written language and arithmetic, delayed motor development, and ataxia. jerk nystagmus with synchronous head titubation fetal growth retardation premature birth Amiodarone has caused a variety of adverse effects in animals.

Amiodarone was given intravenously to rabbits at dosages of 5, 10, or 25 mg/kg per day (about 0.1, 0.3, and 0.7 times the human intravenous maintenance dose of 0.5 mg/min on a body surface area basis), during gestation days 8 to 16 (organogenesis). The incidence of maternal deaths increased with increasing dose and occurred in all treated groups, and controls. Mean fetal weights were significantly decreased in the low and middle dose groups and embryotoxicity (as manifested by fewer full- term fetuses and increased resorptions) occurred at dosages of 10 mg/kg and above.

There were no significant differences in the number of minor fetal abnormalities and no major fetal abnormalities were observed. Amiodarone was administered by continuous intravenous infusion to rats at dosages of 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg per day (about 0.3, 0.7, and 1.3 times the human intravenous maintenance dose of 0.5 mg/min on a body surface area basis) during gestation days 8 to 16 (organogenesis). Maternal toxicity (manifest as reduced weight gain and food consumption) and embryotoxicity (manifest as increased resorptions, decreased live litter size and fetal body weights, and delayed sternal and metacarpal ossification) were observed in the 100 mg/kg group.

The delayed ossification was reversible and related to decreased fetal weight. Fetal thyroid tissues appeared normal in all groups. Nonteratogenic Effects Very high concentrations of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone may be found in testes. Elevated follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone levels, suggestive of testicular dysfunction, have been reported in men on long-term amiodarone treatment. While planning pregnancy after discontinuation of amiodarone treatment, consider the long half-life of amiodarone and its metabolite DEA.

Adverse reactions

In a total of 1836 patients in controlled and uncontrolled clinical trials, 14% of patients received amiodarone HCl injection for at least one week, 5% received it for at least 2 weeks, 2% received it for at least 3 weeks, and 1% received it for more than 3 weeks, without an increased incidence of severe adverse reactions. The mean duration of therapy in these studies was 5.6 days; median exposure was 3.7 days. The most important treatment-emergent adverse effects were hypotension, asystole/cardiac arrest/ electromechanical dissociation (EMD), cardiogenic shock, congestive heart failure, bradycardia, liver function test abnormalities, VT, and AV block.

Overall, treatment was discontinued for about 9% of the patients because of adverse effects. The most common adverse effects leading to discontinuation of amiodarone HCl injection therapy were hypotension (1.6%), asystole/cardiac arrest/EMD (1.2%), VT (1.1%), and cardiogenic shock (1%). The following table lists the most common (incidence ≥ 2%) treatment-emergent adverse events during amiodarone HCl injection therapy considered at least possibly drug-related.

These data were collected in clinical trials involving 1836 patients with life-threatening VT/VF. Data from all assigned treatment groups are pooled because none of the adverse events appeared to be dose-related. SUMMARY TABULATION OF TREATMENT-EMERGENT DRUG-RELATED STUDY EVENTS IN PATIENTS RECEIVING AMIODARONE HCL INJECTION IN CONTROLLED AND OPEN-LABEL STUDIES (≥ 2% INCIDENCE) Other treatment-emergent possibly drug-related adverse events reported in less than 2% of patients receiving amiodarone HCl injection in controlled and uncontrolled studies included the following: abnormal kidney function, atrial fibrillation, diarrhea, increased ALT, increased AST, lung edema, nodal arrhythmia, prolonged QT interval, respiratory disorder, shock, sinus bradycardia, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, thrombocytopenia, VF, and vomiting.

Postmarketing Reports In postmarketing surveillance, hypotension (sometimes fatal), sinus arrest, anaphylactic/anaphylactoid reaction (including shock), angioedema, hepatitis, cholestatic hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis, renal impairment, renal insufficiency, acute renal failure, bronchospasm, possibly fatal respiratory disorders (including distress, failure, arrest, and ARDS), bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia (possibly fatal), fever, dyspnea, cough, hemoptysis, wheezing, hypoxia, pulmonary infiltrates and/or mass, pleuritis, pseudotumor cerebri, syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH), thyroid nodules/thyroid cancer, toxic epidermal necrolysis (sometimes fatal), erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, exfoliative dermatitis, skin cancer, vasculitis, pruritus, hemolytic anemia, aplastic anemia, pancytopenia, neutropenia, thrombocytopenia, agranulocytosis, granuloma, myopathy, muscle weakness, rhabdomyolysis, hallucination, confusional state, disorientation, delirium, epididymitis, and impotence also have been reported with amiodarone therapy.

Also, in patients receiving recommended dosages of amiodarone HCl injection, there have been postmarketing reports of the following injection site reactions: pain, erythema, edema, pigment changes, venous thrombosis, phlebitis, thrombophlebitis, cellulitis, necrosis, and skin sloughing (see DOSAGE & ADMINISTRATION ). ADVERSE

Amiodarone Hydrochloride

Indications

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

Two medicines in one question?

Amiodarone Hydrochloride

Indications

Contraindications

Warnings and precautions

Two medicines in one question?

Interactions

7.1Pharmacodynamic Interactions

7.2Pharmacokinetic Interactions Effect

7.3Serious Symptomatic Bradycardia When Co-administered with Ledipasvir/Sofosbuvir or with Sofosbuvir with Simeprevir

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

8.1Pregnancy Pregnancy Category

Adverse reactions

Composition

Strengths and forms

Official product information

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