Amiodarone

IN December 1985, amiodarone (Cordarone) was approved in the United States for treatment of life-threatening ventricular tachyarrhythmias. It is effective not only in these arrhythmias but also in less severe ventricular arrhythmias and many supraventricular arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation and reentrant tachyarrhythmias involving accessory pathways. Its approval restricts its use to serious ventricular tachyarrhythmias, because amiodarone produces numerous side effects, some of which are serious.PharmacokineticsAmiodarone is absorbed slowly (the peak level is reached four to five hours after an oral dose), with low bioavailability that varies markedly among individuals.1 , 2 This low availability, and perhaps the variability, are thought . . .