Dofetilide: functions, dosage, side effects, how to use it

Functions & Usage

What is Dofetilide used for?

Dofetilide is a drug to treat irregular heartbeats that can be fatal (such as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter). This medication is used to restore a normal heart rhythm and maintain a stable heart rate.

Dofetilide is known as an anti-arrhythmic drug. This drug works by blocking the activity of certain electrical signals in the heart that can cause an irregular heartbeat.

Treating an irregular heartbeat can lower the risk of blood clots and this effect can reduce the risk of a heart attack or stroke.

How do you use Dofetilide?

Use this medication dofetilide twice daily with or without food or as directed by your doctor. To reduce the risk of serious side effects, it is very important to take this medication exactly as prescribed.

Dosage is based on medical condition, kidney function, and response to treatment.

Use this remedy regularly to get its benefits. To help you remember, use it at the same time every day.

Tell your doctor if your condition does not improve or gets worse.

Follow the rules given by your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment. If you have any questions, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

How do I store Dofetilide?

This medication is best stored at room temperature, away from direct light and damp places. Don't keep it in the bathroom. Don't freeze it. Other brands of this drug may have different storage rules. Observe the storage instructions on the product package or ask your pharmacist. Keep all medicines away from children and pets.

Do not flush medicines down the toilet or down the drain unless instructed to do so. Discard this product when it has expired or when it is no longer needed. Consult your pharmacist or local waste disposal company about how to safely dispose of your product.

Precautions & Warnings

What should be considered before using Dofetilide?

Before using dofetilide,

• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to dofetilide, any other medication, or any of the ingredients in dofetilide capsules. Ask the pharmacist or check the manufacturer's patient information for a list of ingredients.
• Tell your doctor if you are taking cimetidine (Tagamet), Dolutegravir (Tivicay), hydrochlorothiazide (Microzide, Oretic), hydrochlorothiazide and triamterene (Dyazide, Maxzide), ketoconazole (Nizoral), megestrol (Megace), prochlorperazin (Compro, Procomp), trimethoprim (Primsol), trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole (Bactrim, Septra, Sulfatrim), and verapamil (Calan, Covera, Verelan). Your doctor will probably tell you not to take dofetilide if you are taking one or more of these medicines.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist about prescription and nonprescription drugs, vitamins, nutritional supplements, and herbal products that you are using or will be using. Be sure to mention the following: other anticoagulants such as amiloride (Midamor); antibiotics such as erythromycin (E.E.S., E-Mycin) and norfloxacin (Noroxin); certain antifungal drugs such as fluconazole (Diflucan), itraconazole (Sporanox), and ketoconazole (Nizoral); bepridil (Vascor); cannabinoids such as dronabinol (Marinol), nabilone (Cesamet) or marijuana (cannabis); digoxin (Lanoxin); diltiazem (Cardizem, Cartia XT, Dilacor XR, Taxtia XT, Tiazac); diuretics ('water pills'); PIs include atazanavir (Reyataz), darunavir (Prezista), fosamprenavir (Lexiva), indinavir (Crixivan), nelfinavir (Viracept), ritonavir (ritonavir, di Kaletra), saquinavir (Invirase) and tipranavir (Aptivus); medications for asthma such as zafirlukast (Accolate); medications for depression, mental illness, or nausea; drugs to relieve heart irregularities such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone); metformin (Fortamet, Glucophage, Glumetza, Riomet); nefazodone; or quinine (Qualquin). Your doctor may need to change the dose of your medication or monitor you carefully for side effects.
• Tell your doctor if you have or have ever had long QT syndrome (a condition that increases your risk of having an irregular heartbeat that can lead to fainting or sudden death), or kidney disease.
• Tell your doctor if you have excessive diarrhea, sweating, vomiting, loss of appetite, or decreased thirst or low levels of potassium in your blood, and if you have or have ever had heart disease or liver disease.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding. If you become pregnant while using dofetilide, call your doctor.

Is Dofetilide safe for pregnant and lactating women?

Animal studies suggest that dofetilide may be a risk to the fetus if consumed by pregnant women. However, the doctor may consider whether the benefits of this drug outweigh the risks, if the mother's condition is fatal if left untreated.

Always consult your doctor or midwife before taking any medicine during pregnancy or breastfeeding.

Side effects

What are the possible side effects of Dofetilide?

Common side effects of dofetilide are:

• Mild headaches
• Lightheadedness
• Sleep problems (insomnia)
• Back pain
• Nausea, diarrhea, stomach pain
• Cold symptoms such as stuffy nose, sneezing, sore throat
• Mild skin rash

Call your doctor if you have serious side effects such as:

• Headache with chest pain and severe dizziness
• Rapid heartbeat or pounding heartbeat, a feeling like you're about to pass out
• Low magnesium (confusion, uneven heart rate, muscle spasms, muscle weakness, or a feeling of weakness); or
• Low potassium (confusion, uneven heart rate, extreme thirst, increased urination, discomfort in the legs, muscle weakness or a feeling of weakness).

Not everyone experiences the above side effects. There may be some side effects not listed above. If you have concerns about certain side effects, consult your doctor or pharmacist.

Drug Interactions

What medicines can interfere with the drug Dofetilide?

Although certain drugs should not be used at the same time, in other cases two different drugs can be used together even if interactions are possible. In this case, your doctor may change the dose, or take other precautions that may be needed.

When you are using this medicine it is very important that your healthcare provider knows if you are currently taking any of the medicines that are listed below. The following interactions are selected on the basis of their potential significance and are not necessarily all inclusive.

Using this medication with any of the following medicines is not recommended. Your doctor may decide not to treat you with this drug or change some of the other medicines you take.

• Amifampridine
• Bepridil
• Cimetidine
• Cisapride
• Dolutegravir Sodium
• Dronedarone
• Fingolimod
• Fluconazole
• Hydrochlorothiazide
• Itraconazole
• Ketoconazole
• Levomethadyl
• Megestrol
• Mesoridazine
• Pimozide
• Piperaquine
• Posaconazole
• Prochlorperazine
• Saquinavir
• Sparfloxacin
• Sulfamethoxazole
• Terfenadine
• Thioridazine
• Trimethoprim
• Verapamil
• Ziprasidone

Using this medication with any of the following medicines is not usually recommended, but may be necessary in some cases. If the two drugs are prescribed together, your doctor may change the dose or adjust how often you use one or both drugs.

• Acecainide
• Alfuzosin
• Amiloride
• Amiodarone
• Amisulpride
• Amitriptyline
• Amoxapine
• Anagrelide
• Apomorphine
• Aprindine
• Aripiprazole
• Arsenic Trioxide
• Artemether
• Asenapine
• Astemizole
• Azimilide
• Azithromycin
• Azosemide
• Bedaquiline
• Bemetizide
• Cyclopenthiazide
• Benzthiazide
• Bretylium
• Bumetanide
• Buserelin
• Buthiazide
• Chloral Hydrate
• Chloroquine
• Chlorothiazide
• Chlorpromazine
• Chlorthalidone
• Ciprofloxacin
• Citalopram
• Clarithromycin
• Clomipramine
• Clopamide
• Clozapine
• Crizotinib
• Cyclobenzaprine
• Cyclopenthiazide
• Cyclothiazide
• Dabrafenib
• Dasatinib
• Delamanid
• Desipramine
• Deslorelin
• Diazoxide
• Dibenzepin
• Digoxin
• Dirithromycin
• Disopyramide
• Dofetilide
• Dolasetron
• Domperidone
• Doxepin
• Droperidol
• Enflurane
• Erythromycin
• Escitalopram
• Ethacrynic Acid
• Etozolin
• Fenquizone
• Flecainide
• Fluoxetine
• Formoterol
• Foscarnet
• Furosemide
• Gatifloxacin
• Gemifloxacin
• Gonadorelin
• Goserelin
• Granisetron
• Halofantrine
• Haloperidol
• Halothane
• Histrelin
• Hydroflumethiazide
• Ibutilide
• Iloperidone
• Imipramine
• Indapamide
• Isoflurane
• Isradipine
• Ivabradine
• Josamycin
• Lapatinib
• Leuprolide
• Levofloxacin
• Lidocaine
• Lidoflazine
• Lopinavir
• Lorcainide
• Lumefantrine
• Mefloquine
• Metformin
• Methadone
• Methyclothiazide
• Metolazone
• Metronidazole
• Mifepristone
• Moricizine
• Moxifloxacin
• Nafarelin
• Nilotinib
• Norfloxacin
• Nortriptyline
• Octreotide
• Ofloxacin
• Ondansetron
• Paliperidone
• Pasireotide
• Pazopanib
• Pentamidine
• Perflutren Lipid Microsphere
• Piretanide
• Polythiazide
• Prilocaine
• Probucol
• Procainamide
• Promethazine
• Propafenone
• Protriptyline
• Quetiapine
• Quinethazone
• Quinidine
• Ranolazine
• Risperidone
• Roxithromycin
• Salmeterol
• Sematilide
• Sertindole
• Sevoflurane
• Sodium Phosphate
• Sodium Phosphate, Dibasic
• Sodium Phosphate, Monobasic
• Solifenacin
• Sorafenib
• Sotalol
• Spiramycin
• Sultopride
• Sunitinib
• Tedisamil
• Telavancin
• Telithromycin
• Tetrabenazine
• Tizanidine
• Toremifene
• Torsemide
• Trazodone
• Triamterene
• Trichlormethiazide
• Trifluoperazine
• Trimipramine
• Triptorelin
• Troleandomycin
• Vandetanib
• Vardenafil
• Vasopressin
• Vemurafenib
• Vilanterol
• Vinflunine
• Voriconazole
• Xipamide
• Zolmitriptan
• Zotepine

Can certain foods and drinks interfere with the work of the Dofetilide drug?

Certain drugs should not be used with meals or when eating certain foods because drug interactions can occur. Consuming alcohol or tobacco with certain drugs can also cause interactions to occur. Discuss your use of drugs with food, alcohol, or tobacco with your health care provider.

What health conditions can interfere with the performance of the drug Dofetilide?

The presence of other health problems in your body may affect the use of this drug. Tell your doctor if you have other health problems, such as:

• Electrolyte imbalance (for example, low levels of magnesium or potassium in the blood)
• Heart disease
• Heart rhythm problems - use with caution. It might make things worse
• Heart rhythm problems (for example, congenital long QT syndrome)
• Severe kidney disease
• Patients receiving dialysis treatment - Should not be used in patients with this condition.
• Kidney disease - high blood pressure can occur, which can increase the chance of side effects. Your doctor may need to change your dose.
• Severe liver disease - Use with caution. This drug has not been studied in patients with this condition.

Dose

The information provided is not a substitute for a doctor's prescription. ALWAYS consult your doctor or pharmacist before starting treatment.

What is the dosage for defotilide drugs for adults?

125 mcg once daily to 500 mcg twice daily. Dosage is based on creatinine and QTc lengthening. The dose is adjusted 2 to 3 hours after the QTc interval of the first dose basis.

What is the defotilide dosage for children?

The dosage for children has not been determined. Consult your doctor for more information.

In what dosages and preparations is defotilide available?

Capsule, Oral: 125 mcg, 250 mcg, 500 mcg

What to do in an emergency or overdose?

In case of an emergency or overdose, contact the local emergency services provider (119) or immediately to the nearest hospital emergency department.

What should I do if I forget to take medicine or forget to take medicine?

If you forget a dose of this medicine, take it as soon as possible. However, when it is nearing the time of the next dose, skip the missed dose and return to the usual dosing schedule. Don't double the dose.

Hello Health Group does not provide medical consultation, diagnosis or treatment.