Brands, Medical Use, Clinical Data
Drug Category
- Vasodilator Agents
- Enzyme Inhibitors
- Anti-Arrhythmia Agents
Dosage Forms
- Liquid
- Solution
- Tablet (200 mg and 400 mg)
Brands / Synonyms
Aminodarone; Amiodarona; Amiodarona [INN-Spanish]; Amiodarone Base; Amiodarone HCL; Amiodarone Hydrochloride; Amiodarone Injection; Amiodarone [USAN:BAN:INN]; Amiodarons; Amiodaronum [INN-Latin]; Amjodaronum; Cordarone; Cordarone I've.; Cordarone Intravenous; Labaz; Pacerone; pms-Amiodarone
; Uro-Septra
Indications
Intravenously, for initiation of treatment and prophylaxis of frequently recurring ventricular fibrillation and hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia in patients refractory to other therapy. Orally, for the treatment of life-threatening recurrent ventricular arrhythmias such as recurrent ventricular fibrillation and recurrent hemodynamically unstable ventricular tachycardia.
Pharmacology
Amiodarone belongs to a class of drugs called Vaughan-Williams Class III antiarrhythmic agents. It is used in the treatment of a wide range of cardiac tachyarhthmias, including both ventricular and supraventricular (atrial) arrhythmias. After intravenous administration in man, amiodarone relaxes vascular smooth muscle, reduces peripheral vascular resistance (afterload), and slightly increases cardiac index. Amiodarone prolongs phase 3 of the cardiac action potential. It has numerous other effects however, including actions that are similar to those of antiarrhythmic classes Ia, II, and IV. Amiodarone shows beta blocker-like and calcium channel blocker-like actions on the SA and AV nodes, increases the refractory period via sodium- and potassium-channel effects, and slows intra-cardiac conduction of the cardiac action potential, via sodium-channel effects.
Mechanism of Action
The antiarrhythmic effect of amiodarone may be due to at least two major actions. It prolongs the myocardial cell-action potential (phase 3) duration and refractory period and acts as a noncompetitive a- and b-adrenergic inhibitor.
Absorption
Slow and variable (about 20 to 55% of an oral dose is absorbed).
Toxicity
Intravenous, mouse: LD50 = 178 mg/kg. Some side effects have a significant mortality rate: specifically, hepatitis, exacerbation of asthma and congestive failure, and pneumonitis.
Biotrnasformation / Drug Metabolism
Amiodarone is extensively metabolized in the liver via CYP2C8 (under 1% unchanged in urine), and can effect the metabolism of numerous other drugs. The major metabolite of amiodarone is desethylamiodarone (DEA), which also has antiarrhythmic properties. The metabolism of amiodarone is inhibited by grapefruit juice, leading to elevated serum levels of amiodarone.
Contraindications
Cordarone I.V. is contraindicated in patients with known hypersensitivity to any of the components of Cordarone
I.V., including iodine, or in patients with cardiogenic shock, marked sinus bradycardia, and second- or third-degree
AV block unless a functioning pacemaker is available.
Drug Interactions
Amiodarone is metabolized to desethylamiodarone by the cytochrome P450 (CYP450) enzyme group, specifically
cytochromes P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and CYP2C8. The CYP3A4 isoenzyme is present in both the liver and intestines.
Amiodarone is also known to be an inhibitor of CYP3A4. Therefore, amiodarone has the potential for interactions with
drugs or substances that may be substrates, inhibitors or inducers of CYP3A4. While only a limited number of in vivo
drug-drug interactions with amiodarone have been reported, chiefly with the oral formulation, the potential for other
interactions should be anticipated. This is especially important for drugs associated with serious toxicity, such as
other antiarrhythmics. If such drugs are needed, their dose should be reassessed and, where appropriate, plasma
concentration measured. In view of the long and variable half-life of amiodarone, potential for drug interactions
exists not only with concomitant medication but also with drugs administered after discontinuation of amiodarone.
Since amiodarone is a substrate for CYP3A4 and CYP2C8, drugs/substances that inhibit these isoenzymes
may decrease the metabolism and increase serum concentration of amiodarone. Reported examples include the
following:
Protease Inhibitors:
Protease inhibitors are known to inhibit CYP3A4 to varying degrees. A case report of one patient taking amiodarone
200 mg and indinavir 800 mg three times a day resulted in increases in amiodarone concentrations from 0.9 mg/L to 1.3
mg/L. DEA concentrations were not affected. There was no evidence of toxicity. Monitoring for amiodarone toxicity and
serial measurement of amiodarone serum concentration during concomitant protease inhibitor therapy should be
considered.
Histamine H2 antagonists:
Cimetidine inhibits CYP3A4 and can increase serum amiodarone levels.
Other substances:
Grapefruit juice given to healthy volunteers increased amiodarone AUC by 50% and Cmax by 84%, resulting in
increased plasma levels of amiodarone. Grapefruit juice should not be taken during treatment with oral amiodarone.
This information should be considered when changing from intravenous amiodarone to oral amiodarone .
Amiodarone may suppress certain CYP450 enzymes, including CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP2D6, and CYP3A4. This
inhibition can result in unexpectedly high plasma levels of other drugs which are metabolized by those CYP450
enzymes. Reported examples of this interaction include the following:
Immunosuppressives:
Cyclosporine (CYP3A4 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.
HMG-CoA Reductase Inhibitors:
Simvastatin (CYP3A4 substrate) in combination with amiodarone has been associated with reports of
myopathy/rhabdomyolysis.
Cardiovasculars:
Cardiac glycosides: In patients receiving digoxin therapy, administration of oral amiodarone
regularly results in an increase in serum digoxin concentration that may reach toxic levels with resultant clinical
toxicity. Amiodarone taken concomitantly with digoxin increases the serum digoxin concentration by 70% after one day.
On administration of oral amiodarone, the need for digitalis therapy should be reviewed and the dose reduced by
approximately 50% or discontinued. If digitalis treatment is continued, serum levels should be closely monitored
and patients observed for clinical evidence of toxicity. These precautions probably should apply to digitoxin
administration as well.
Antiarrhythmics: Other antiarrhythmic drugs, such as quinidine, procainamide, disopyramide,
and phenytoin, have been used concurrently with amiodarone. There have been case reports of increased
steady-state levels of quinidine, procainamide, and phenytoin during concomitant therapy with amiodarone. Phenytoin
decreases serum amiodarone levels. Amiodarone taken concomitantly with quinidine increases quinidine serum
concentration by 33% after two days. Amiodarone taken concomitantly with procainamide for less than seven days
increases plasma concentrations of procainamide and n-acetyl procainamide by 55% and 33%, respectively. Quinidine and
procainamide doses should be reduced by one-third when either is administered with amiodarone. Plasma levels of
flecainide have been reported to increase in the presence of oral amiodarone; because of this, the dosage of
flecainide should be adjusted when these drugs are administered concomitantly. In general, any added
antiarrhythmic drug should be initiated at a lower than usual dose with careful monitoring. Combination of amiodarone
with other antiarrhythmic therapy should be reserved for patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias who
are incompletely responsive to a single agent or incompletely responsive to amiodarone. During transfer to oral
amiodarone, the dose levels of previously administered agents should be reduced by 30 to 50% several days after the
addition of oral amiodarone. The continued need for the other antiarrhythmic agent should be reviewed after the
effects of amiodarone have been established, and discontinuation ordinarily should be attempted. If the treatment is
continued, these patients should be particularly carefully monitored for adverse effects, especially conduction
disturbances and exacerbation of tachyarrhythmias, as amiodarone is continued. In amiodarone-treated patients who
require additional antiarrhythmic therapy, the initial dose of such agents should be approximately half of the usual
recommended dose.
Antihypertensives: Amiodarone should be used with caution in patients receiving ß-receptor
blocking agents (e.g., propranolol, a CYP3A4 inhibitor) or calcium channel antagonists (e.g., verapamil, a
CYP3A4 substrate, and diltiazem, a CYP3A4 inhibitor) because of the possible potentiation of bradycardia, sinus
arrest, and AV block; if necessary, amiodarone can continue to be used after insertion of a pacemaker in patients
with severe bradycardia or sinus arrest.
Anticoagulants: Potentiation of warfarin-type (CYP2C9 and CYP3A4 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 the prothrombin time by 100% after 3 to 4 days,
the dose of the anticoagulant should be reduced by one-third to one-half, and prothrombin times should be
monitored closely.
Some drugs/substances are known to accelerate the metabolism of amiodarone by stimulating the
synthesis of CYP3A4 (enzyme induction). This may lead to low amiodarone serum levels and potential decrease in
efficacy. Reported examples of this interaction include the following:
Antibiotics:
Rifampin is a potent inducer of CYP3A4. Administration of rifampin concomitantly with oral amiodarone has been shown
to result in decreases in serum concentrations of amiodarone and desethylamiodarone.
Other substances, including herbal preparations:
St. Johnís Wort (Hypericum perforatum) induces CYP3A4. Since amiodarone is a substrate for CYP3A4, there is
the potential that the use of St. Johnís Wort in patients receiving amiodarone could result in reduced
amiodarone levels.
Other reported interactions with amiodarone:
Fentanyl (CYP3A4 substrate) in combination with amiodarone may cause hypotension, bradycardia, and decreased cardiac
output.
Sinus bradycardia has been reported with oral amiodarone in combination with lidocaine (CYP3A4 substrate) given
for local anesthesia. Seizure, associated with increased lidocaine concentrations, has been reported with concomitant
administration of intravenous amiodarone.
Dextromethorphan is a substrate for both CYP2D6 and CYP3A4. Amiodarone inhibits CYP2D6.
Cholestyramine increases enterohepatic elimination of amiodarone and may reduce its serum levels and
t1/2.
Disopyramide increases QT prolongation which could cause arrhythmia.
Fluoroquinolones, macrolide antibiotics, and azoles are known to cause QTc prolongation. There have
been reports of QTc prolongation, with or without TdP, in patients taking amiodarone when fluoroquinolones, macrolide
antibiotics, or azoles were administered concomitantly.
Hemodynamic and electrophysiologic interactions have also been observed after concomitant administration with
propranolol, diltiazem, and verapamil.
Volatile Anesthetic Agents:.
In addition to the interactions noted above, chronic (> 2 weeks) oral Cordarone administration impairs
metabolism of phenytoin, dextromethorphan, and methotrexate.
Electrolyte Disturbances
Patients with hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia should have the condition corrected whenever possible before being
treated with Cordarone I.V., as these disorders can exaggerate the degree of QTc prolongation and increase the
potential for TdP. Special attention should be given to electrolyte and acid-base balance in patients experiencing
severe or prolonged diarrhea or in patients receiving concomitant diuretics.
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