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Disopyramide |
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What is Disopyramide and why is it prescribed? Disopyramide is used to treat severe irregular heartbeat. It relaxes an overactive heart and improves the efficiency of the heart's pumping action. Do not stop taking Disopyramide without first consulting your doctor. Stopping suddenly can cause serious changes in heart function. How should you take Disopyramide? Follow your doctors directions for taking Disopyramide. Disopyramide may cause dry mouth. For temporary relief suck on a hard candy, chew gum, or melt ice chips in your mouth. If you miss a dose take it as soon as you remember, if the next dose is 4 or more hours away. If you do not remember until later, skip the dose you missed and go back to your regular schedule. Do not take two doses at once. Store Disopyramide at room temperature. Are there any Disopyramide side effects? Disopyramide side effects cannot be anticipated. If any develop or change in intensity, inform your doctor as soon as possible. More common Disopyramide side effects may include abdominal pain, aches and pains, bloating and gas, blurred vision, constipation, dizziness, dry eyes, nose, and throat, dry mouth, fatigue, headache, inability to urinate, increased urinary frequency and urgency, muscle weakness, nausea, and vague feeling of bodily discomfort. Less common or rare Disopyramide side effects may include breast development in males, chest pain, congestive heart failure, depression, diarrhea, difficulty breathing, difficulty sleeping, fainting, fever, impotence, itching, low blood pressure, low blood sugar, nervousness, numbness or tingling, painful urination, rash, psychosis, shortness of breath, skin diseases, swelling due to fluid retention, vomiting, weight gain, and yellow eyes and skin. What are the possible food and drug interactions when taking Disopyramide? If Disopyramide is taken with certain other drugs, the effects of either could be increased, decreased, or altered. Be sure to inform your doctor of all the prescription and over the counter medications you are taking. Avoid alcoholic beverages while taking Disopyramide. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Disopyramide with Clarithromycin (Biaxin), Drugs that inhibit the breakdown of other drugs by the liver (including Tagamet), Erythromycin (Eryc, Ery-Tab, PCE), Other heart-regulating drugs (such as quinidine/Quinidex, procainamide/Procan SR, lidocaine/Xylocaine), propranolol/Inderal, and Verapamil/Calan), Phenytoin (Dilantin), or Troleandomycin (Tao). Are there any special warnings about Disopyramide? If you have structural heart disease, inflammation of the heart muscle, or other heart disorders, use Disopyramide with extreme caution. Disopyramide may cause or worsen congestive heart failure and can cause severe low blood pressure. If you have a history of heart failure, your doctor will carefully monitor your heart function while you are taking Disopyramide. Disopyramide can cause low blood sugar, especially if you have congestive heart failure; poor nutrition; or kidney, liver, or other diseases; or if you are taking beta-blocking blood pressure drugs such as Tenormin or drinking alcohol. Your doctor will prescribe Disopyramide along with other heart-regulating drugs, such as quinidine, procainamide, encainide, flecainide, propafenone, and propranolol, only if the irregular rhythm is considered life-threatening and other antiarrhythmic medication has not worked. If you have the eye condition called glaucoma, myasthenia gravis, or difficulty urinating, use this drug cautiously. You will take lower dosages if you have liver or kidney disease. Your doctor should check your potassium levels before starting you on Disopyramide. Low potassium levels may make this drug ineffective; high levels may increase its toxic effects. |
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