Oral dosage of sotalol should be adjusted gradually allowing 2-3 days between dosing increments in order to attain steady-state, and to allow monitoring of QT intervals. Most patients respond to a daily dose of 160 to 320 mg administered in two divided doses at approximately 12 hour intervals.
Can Betapace be crushed?
Add five (5) Betapace/Betapace AF 120 mg tablets to the bottle. These tablets are added intact; it is not necessary to crush the tablets. The addition of the tablets can also be done first. The tablets can also be crushed if preferred.
What is the difference between sotalol and sotalol hydrochloride?
Sotalol hydrochloride is a racemic mixture of d- and l-sotalol. Both isomers have similar Class III antiarrhythmic effects, while the l-isomer is responsible for virtually all of the beta-blocking activity.
What is a good substitute for sotalol?
Dronedarone: an alternate choice to sotalol and amiodarone in the treatment of atrial fibrillation/flutter in patients who have coronary heart disease.
Is sotalol a safe drug?
Sotalol is generally safe to take for a long time. In fact, it works best when you take it for a long time. What will happen if I stop taking it? Talk to your doctor if you want to stop taking sotalol.
Which is better sotalol or metoprolol?
Conclusion: Sotalol is a safe and effective agent for control of heart rate in digitalized patients with atrial fibrillation. Sotalol is superior to metoprolol at submaximal exercise, resulting in better rate control during daily activities.
What is the generic name for sotalol?
Sotalol is available as both a generic and brand-name drug. Brand names: Betapace and Sorine. Sotalol AF is available as both a generic and brand-name drug. Brand name: Betapace AF.
Can sotalol make you gain weight?
Sotalol may cause heart failure in some patients. Check with your doctor right away if you are having chest pain or discomfort, dilated neck veins, extreme fatigue, irregular breathing, an irregular heartbeat, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, or weight gain.
Why is sotalol not used in AF?
Although both commercial presentations contain sotalol, Betapace should not be substituted for Betapace AF because of significant differences in the labeling sections on indications, dosing, administration, and safety profile. The injectable form of sotalol was approved by the FDA in July 2009.
What are the side effects of sotalol 80 mg?
Common Side effects of Sotalol include:
- serious difficulty breathing.
- dizziness.
- fatigue.
- slow heart rate.
- chest pain.
- strong, irregular heartbeat.
- weakness.
- lightheadedness.
Can I drink coffee while taking sotalol?
Avoid drinking tea or coffee with sotalol as caffeine has the ability to decrease the effectiveness of the drug.
Can you eat bananas with beta-blockers?
Too much potassium can lead to erratic heart rhythm and kidney failure. If you are taking a beta-blocker, your health care provider may recommend that you limit your consumption of bananas and other high potassium foods including papaya, tomato, avocado and kale.
What is the safest beta-blocker?
Cardioselective. A number of beta blockers, including atenolol (Tenormin) and metoprolol (Toprol, Lopressor), were designed to block only beta-1 receptors in heart cells. Since they don’t affect beta-2 receptors in blood vessels and the lungs, cardioselective beta blockers are safer for people with lung disorders.
Do beta-blockers shorten your life?
A large study published last month in The Journal of the American Medical Association found that beta blockers did not prolong the lives of patients – a revelation that must have left many cardiologists shaking their heads (JAMA, vol 308, p 1340).
Can I eat bananas while taking sotalol?
People taking beta-blockers should therefore avoid taking potassium supplements, or eating large quantities of fruit (e.g., bananas), unless directed to do so by their doctor.
What is the drug of choice for atrial fibrillation?
Beta blockers and calcium channel blockers are the drugs of choice because they provide rapid rate control. 4,7,12 These drugs are effective in reducing the heart rate at rest and during exercise in patients with atrial fibrillation.
Is coughing a side effect of sotalol?
dizziness; or. cough, trouble breathing.
Is 50 mg of metoprolol a lot?
The dose is usually 1 milligram (mg) per kilogram (kg) of body weight once a day. The first dose should not be more than 50 mg once a day. Your doctor may adjust your dose as needed.
What is the most commonly prescribed beta blocker?
As seen in figure 1, the most commonly prescribed beta-blocker medications are metoprolol succinate and metoprolol tartrate. While both drugs are used to treat heart-related issues, their applications are very different.
Which beta blocker is best for atrial fibrillation?
Bisoprolol* or metoprolol succinate are first-choice beta-blockers for patients with atrial fibrillation as they are prescribed once-daily and do not require dose adjustment in patients with renal impairment. Bisoprolol is preferred as it is more cardioselective than metoprolol and may cause more bradycardia.
Can sotalol cause heart block?
Like other antiarrhythmic agents, sotalol can cause new or worsening ventricular arrhythmias (for example, ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation). Sotalol may cause or worsen congestive heart failure, and it can block the symptoms of low blood glucose in diabetics.
How do I stop taking sotalol?
When it is time to stop taking sotalol, your doctor will give you instructions on how to gradually reduce your dose over a period of 1 to 2 weeks. Do not take antacids containing aluminum or magnesium (e.g., olaids, Maalox, Mylanta, Gelusil, Milk of Magnesia, and others) within 2 hours of a dose of sotalol.
Can you eat grapefruit while taking sotalol?
Many commonly prescribed cardiac drugs are now included on the list, among them amiodarone, amlodipine, warfarin, sotalol, along with Revatio and statin drugs and many others. For 43 of the 85 drugs now on the list, consumption with grapefruit can be life- threatening.