• Reference Number: HEY1047/2026
• Departments: Cardiology, Pharmacy
• Last Updated: 31 January 2026

Introduction

This leaflet has been produced to give you general information about your amiodarone treatment. Most of your questions should be answered by this leaflet. It is not intended to replace the discussion between you and your doctor but may act as a starting point for discussion. If after reading it you have any concerns or require further explanation, please discuss this with a member of the healthcare team.

What is Amiodarone?

Amiodarone comes from a class of drugs called ‘anti-arrhythmic’.

Your doctor has prescribed you amiodarone in the form of tablets which you will take every day to control your heart rhythm. Once established on the treatment, you will take a once daily dose.

Your doctor will review you regularly to check the medication is working for you and you are not suffering any side effects. Do not stop taking your amiodarone without talking to your doctor first.

Your doctor will check your thyroid function, liver function, kidney function and perform a chest X-ray and electrocardiogram (ECG) before starting amiodarone.  This will be the baseline for monitoring your treatment and side effects and these results will be communicated to your doctor. You will require a blood test every 6 months during treatment and up to 12 months after you stop taking amiodarone.

Why do I need Amiodarone?

Amiodarone is used to control an irregular or rapid heart rate. This reduces palpitations, dizziness and blackouts which can occur if the heart beats too fast.

Amiodarone acts on the heart cells and slows the electrical signals sent through the heart.

Can there be any complications or risks?

Amiodarone can cause side effects, which you should be aware of, especially if you are taking amiodarone as a long-term treatment. For short term treatment, side effects may be temporary or not experienced. Please see your doctor if you start to experience any symptoms that may concern you.

• Skin (very common – greater than 1 in 10 who take amiodarone)
  • Amiodarone may make your skin more sensitive to sunlight. You should avoid exposure to direct sunlight or sunlamps. When you are in the sun, cover your head with a wide brimmed hat, wear long-sleeved clothing and apply total sun block cream to exposed skin.
  • In most cases, symptoms are limited to redness, tingling, burning of sun-exposed skin, but blistering of the skin may occur.
  • Skin sensitivity can persist for several months after stopping treatment, continue above measures to protect the skin.
• Skin (common – 1 in 100 to 1 in 10 people who take amiodarone)
  • You may also notice you suffer from dry skin or eczema during treatment.
  • Amiodarone can also cause skin to have a blue/grey tinge. If you notice this, you should see your doctor.
• Eyes (very common – greater than 1 in 10 people who take amiodarone)
  • You may develop small deposits on the cornea that can cause blurred vision or seeing a coloured halo in dazzling light.
  • This does not interfere with daytime vision, but you may be dazzled by headlights at night. Be careful if you drive.
  • Annual optician visits are recommended.
  • If you develop blurred vision or any other visual disturbances, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.
• Liver (very common – greater than 1 in 10 people who take amiodarone)
  • Amiodarone can cause problems with liver function and cause an increase in liver enzymes at the beginning of treatment. This can be seen in your blood test monitoring.
  • Your doctor will check your liver function before starting treatment and every 6 months.
• Liver (common – 1 in 100 to 1 in 10 people who take amiodarone)
  • If you notice yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice), feel tired or sick, loss of appetite or stomach pain, you should see your doctor immediately.
• Thyroid gland (common – 1 in 100 to 1 in 10 people who take amiodarone)
  • Amiodarone can make you produce less thyroid hormone (hypothyroidism), which may make you feel tired, weak, and gain weight.
  • You can also produce too much thyroid hormone (hyperthyroidism), which may make you sweat, feel shaky, feel restless or agitated, lose weight or cause a fast heart rate.
  • If you notice any of these side-effects, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible
  • Your doctor will check your thyroid function before starting treatment and every 6 months.
• Lungs (common – 1 in 100 to 1 in 10 people who take amiodarone)
  • Should you develop a cough, breathing difficulties, tiredness, weight loss or high temperature that does not clear up or gets worse, see your doctor immediately.
  • A chest x-ray will be performed before you start amiodarone treatment and will be repeated should you experience any of these side effects.
• Heart (common – 1 in 100 to 1 in 10 people who take amiodarone)
  • Amiodarone may cause a slow heart rate. This may make you feel tired, dizzy or faint. If you notice this, you should tell your doctor immediately.
  • An ECG will be performed before you start amiodarone treatment and will be repeated should you experience any of these side effects.
• Nervous System (common – 1 in 100 to 1 in 10 people who take amiodarone)
  • Amiodarone may cause shaking or unsteady walking. It could also cause sleep disturbances or nightmares. If you notice any of these side-effects, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible
• Nervous System (uncommon – 1 in 1000 to 1 in 100 people who take amiodarone)
  • Amiodarone may cause weakness of the hands or legs, and pins and needles. If you notice any of these side-effects, you should tell your doctor as soon as possible.
• Other common side effects can occur in some people:
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Taste disturbance

For a full list of side effects, please read the patient information leaflet provided in the box of amiodarone tablets supplied.

• Can you drink alcohol whilst taking amiodarone?
  • If you choose to drink alcohol while taking this medicine, it is advisable that you only drink alcohol in moderation (it’s recommended to drink no more than 14 units of alcohol a week) as this may increase your chance of having problems with your liver.
• Driving and using machinery?
  • Amiodarone may cause blurred vision and dizziness in some people. If this happens do not drive or operate machinery. You must ensure you are fit to drive as required by DVLA guidance.
• Pregnancy and breastfeeding
  • If you are of childbearing age, you should tell your specialist or GP immediately if you become pregnant or want to become pregnant.
  • You should not breastfeed whilst taking amiodarone.
• Other medicines
  • Some medicines may interact with amiodarone. These include:
    • Antibiotics e.g. clarithromycin, moxifloxacin
    • Beta-blockers
    • Calcium channel blockers e.g. diltiazem, verapamil
    • Other cardiac drugs e.g. flecainide, digoxin, ivabradine
    • Phenytoin
    • Simvastatin
    • Drugs for mental health e.g. lithium, amitriptyline
    • Warfarin
  • There may be other medicines (including over the counter and herbal supplements) that may interact, so it is important that you always inform your doctor or pharmacist that you take amiodarone to ensure any medication prescribed or purchased over the counter can be taken safely with amiodarone.
  • Do not take grapefruit juice whilst taking amiodarone.
  • Please note it takes a long time for amiodarone to be removed from your body so drug interactions can occur several weeks or even months after treatment has stopped.

What will happen?

How should I take my amiodarone?

• It is usual to take a higher dose of amiodarone at the beginning of your treatment. This is to build up the level of amiodarone in the body to help it work properly.
• Most patients initially take this medication three times a day for one week, then twice a day for one week, then once daily thereafter.
• Amiodarone isn’t always needed long term and should be reviewed regularly by your doctor. Ask your doctor how long you are supposed to take amiodarone for.
• Do not stop taking this medicine unless your doctor tells you to stop.
• It is important you follow the instructions on the label.
• Take your tablets at the same time each day. Tablets should be swallowed whole with a glass of water.
• If you miss a dose, take as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and continue taking it at the usual time. Do not double-up the next dose.

Should you require further advice on the issues contained in this leaflet, please do not hesitate to contact the Pharmacy Department at Castle Hill Hospital Tel: 01482 623278

Alternatively, you could contact your regular community pharmacy.

General Advice and Consent

Most of your questions should have been answered by this leaflet, but remember that this is only a starting point for discussion with the healthcare team.

Consent to treatment

Before any doctor, nurse or therapist examines or treats you, they must seek your consent or permission. In order to make a decision, you need to have information from health professionals about the treatment or investigation which is being offered to you. You should always ask them more questions if you do not understand or if you want more information.

The information you receive should be about your condition, the alternatives available to you, and whether it carries risks as well as the benefits. What is important is that your consent is genuine or valid. That means:

• you must be able to give your consent
• you must be given enough information to enable you to make a decision
• you must be acting under your own free will and not under the strong influence of another person

Information about you

We collect and use your information to provide you with care and treatment. As part of your care, information about you will be shared between members of a healthcare team, some of whom you may not meet. Your information may also be used to help train staff, to check the quality of our care, to manage and plan the health service, and to help with research. Wherever possible we use anonymous data.

We may pass on relevant information to other health organisations that provide you with care. All information is treated as strictly confidential and is not given to anyone who does not need it. If you have any concerns please ask your doctor, or the person caring for you.

Under the General Data Protection Regulation and the Data Protection Act 2018 we are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any information we hold about you. For further information visit the following page: Confidential Information about You.

If you or your carer needs information about your health and wellbeing and about your care and treatment in a different format, such as large print, braille or audio, due to disability, impairment or sensory loss, please advise a member of staff and this can be arranged.