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| Pronunciation |
|
 (SOE
ta
lole) |
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|
| Brand Names |
|
| Betapace®; Betapace
AF™ |
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| Foreign Brand
Names |
|
| Sotacor®
(Canada) |
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|
| Therapeutic
Categories |
|
|
Antiarrhythmic Agent, Class II; Antiarrhythmic Agent, Class III; Beta Blocker,
Beta1 Selective |
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| What key warnings should I know
about before taking this
medicine? |
|
|
- You will need to be hospitalized to start this medicine. Special
heart monitoring is usually needed for at least 3 days. This gives healthcare
providers time to see how your heart responds to the medicine. Your healthcare
provider will also check your kidney function. The dose is decreased if your
kidney function is reduced.
|
|
|
| Reasons not to take this
medicine |
|
|
- If you have an allergy to sotalol or any other part of the medicine.
- If you have any of the following conditions: Asthma, slow heartbeat,
weakened heart (congestive heart failure) whose symptoms are poorly controlled,
decreased kidney function.
- If you are taking
sparfloxacin.
|
|
|
| What is this medicine used
for? |
|
|
- This medicine prevents fast heartbeats called arrhythmias. It helps
your heartbeat in a more normal
way.
|
|
|
| How does it work? |
|
|
- Sotalol blocks chemicals, such as adrenaline (epinephrine), and
prevents them from increasing heart rate, blood pressure, and oxygen use.
Sotalol slows the body down a bit.
|
|
|
| How is it best taken? |
|
|
- Take on an empty stomach. Take 1 hour before or 2 hours after meals.
- Can take Betapace AF™ with or without food.
Take with food if this medicine causes an upset stomach.
- Do not take antacids or calcium supplements less than 2 hours before
or after sotalol.
- Do not suddenly stop taking this medicine. Medicine should be slowly
decreased and only by healthcare
provider.
|
|
|
| What do I do if I miss a
dose? |
|
|
- Take a missed dose as soon as possible.
- If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed one. Return to
your regular schedule.
- Do not take a double dose or extra doses.
- Do not change dose or stop taking medicine without talking with
healthcare provider. This could be
dangerous.
|
|
|
| What are the precautions when
taking this
medicine? |
|
|
- Check medicines with healthcare provider. Use caution with certain
heart beat medicines (antiarrhythmics), mood-adjusting medicines, certain ones
for depression (tricyclic antidepressants), astemizole, bepridil, erythromycin
and like antibiotics, quinolone antibiotics.
- Wear disease medical alert identification for heart disease.
- It is dangerous to run out of this medication. Get it refilled today!
- Avoid alcohol (includes wine, beer, and liquor) and other medicines
and herbs that slow your actions and reactions. This includes sedatives,
tranquilizers, mood stabilizers, or pain medicine. Talk with healthcare
provider.
- Use caution if you have a weakened heart. Can worsen symptoms. Talk
with healthcare provider.
- Use caution if you have a slow heartbeat and do not have a pacemaker.
Talk with healthcare provider.
- Use caution if you are diabetic and have low blood sugars. Talk with
healthcare provider. This medicine hides signs of low blood sugar except
sweating.
- Use caution if you have lung disease. This includes asthma, chronic
obstructive pulmonary disease, or if you are using an inhaler like albuterol or
ipratropium. This medicine can cause wheezing or spasm in the lung.
- Tell healthcare provider if you have kidney disease. Your dose may be
decreased.
- Do not use over-the-counter products that increase blood pressure.
These include cough or cold remedies, diet pills, stimulants, ibuprofen or like
products, and certain herbs or supplements. Talk with healthcare provider.
- Tell healthcare provider about this medicine before undergoing an
operation or dental surgery.
- Tell healthcare provider if you are allergic to any medicine. Make
sure to tell about the allergy and how it affected you. This includes telling
about rash; hives; itching; shortness of breath; wheezing; cough; swelling of
face, lips, tongue, throat; or any other symptoms involved.
- Do not use in pregnancy and do not get pregnant. Use birth control
that you can trust while taking this medicine.
- Do not use if you are
breast-feeding.
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| What are the common side effects
of this
medicine? |
|
|
- Feeling sleepy and/or lightheaded. Avoid driving, doing other tasks or
activities that require you to be alert until you see how this medicine affects
you.
- Change in sexual ability or desire. This can return to normal after
medicine is stopped. Talk with healthcare provider about other medicines without
this side effect.
- Slow heart rate (pulse) and/or low blood pressure (lightheadedness,
dizziness, weakness, and feeling
tired).
|
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|
| What should I monitor? |
|
|
- Watch for swelling of legs or belly, shortness of breath, weight gain,
exercise tolerance. If any of these worsen, talk with healthcare provider.
- Report a 3-5 pound weight gain if you have heart failure.
- Check blood pressure regularly.
- Follow diet plan and exercise program as recommended by healthcare
provider.
- Follow up with healthcare
provider.
|
|
|
| Reasons to call healthcare
provider
immediately |
|
|
- Signs of a life-threatening reaction. These include wheezing;
tightness in the chest; fever; itching; bad cough; blue skin color; fits;
swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.
- Too tired or sleepy.
- Passing out, fainting, dizziness, or lightheadedness. Go to nearest
hospital emergency room if you cannot reach healthcare provider.
- Chest pains, fast heartbeats, shortness of breath, or decreased
ability to walk.
- Severe diarrhea, unusual sweating, vomiting, poor appetite, or very
thirsty.
- Any rash.
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| How should I store this
medicine? |
|
|
- Store in a tight, light-resistant container at room temperature.
Protect from moisture.
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| General statements |
|
|
- Do not share your medicine with others and do not take anyone else's
medicine.
- Keep all medicine out of the reach of children and pets.
- Keep a list of all your medicines (prescription, herbal/supplements,
vitamins, over-the-counter) with you. Give this list to healthcare provider
(doctor, nurse, pharmacist, physician assistant).
- Talk with healthcare provider before starting any new medicine,
including over-the-counter or natural products (herbs,
vitamins).
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