Interesting things about amiodorone

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Hi every one.

I thought it might fun to list things we've observed or learned the hard way about different drugs. I thought we could start with amiodorone (sp). Then go on to something else.

1. Be careful if the patient is also on digoxin because Amio. Can increase a dig level by 100% in a few days.

2. When Amio infiltrates it isn't pretty :eek:

Everyone add something they experienced

Specializes in RETIRED Cath Lab/Cardiology/Radiology.

Are you alluding to Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia?

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Found amiodarone, so I looked it up, there are a couple pics here of the blue/gray tints... weird..

http://www.mf.uni-lj.si/acta-apa/acta-apa-02-3/derma3-5cl.html

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

My pet peeve is doctors who prescribe Darvocet for their older patients, which IMHO is merely Tylenol with confusion. I've seen perfectly rational folks come completely off the spool with the stuff.....which is maybe why it's listed as one of the drugs that should not be given to the elderly. You'd think physicians would have caught wind of this before now, but a lot of 'em either haven't kept up, or they just don't want to give up prescribing something they're comfortable with. I personally won't give it unless the pt. has been on it for some time and I know they're not going to react badly; otherwise, I'll try to talk the doc into some other type of analgesia, because I really hate it when I have to peel a pt. off the ceiling, or spend half the shift trying to convince them I've killed the pink and purple rats they think they saw in the corner........!

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Specializes in MS Home Health.

This client developed an immune response to heparin, caused lysis of the red cells and she went into DIC and died a very ugly death.

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I started on tenormin for my blood pressure and couldn't figure out what my crushing chest pain was caused by. I checked my pulse and it was 40. Atropine raised it only temporarily and it took 4-5 days for the tenormin to get out of my system. The scary part is, I am only 36!!!

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Great thread! A psychiatrist informed me that benzodiazopines usually cause paradoxal effects on clients with hepatic encephalopathy.

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Heparin-induced thrombocytopenia = white clot syndrome, I believe...

We had a pt come in the ER repeatedly with MI's who they thought might have it. Very interesting stuff to read about...

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In my experience, amiodarone can raise your INR and potentiate the effects of coumadin, and also give you a low heartrate if you are not careful. In many instances it also causes nausea, and ends up being discontinued anyway.

I've given phenergan with horrible results before, so I advocate its discontinuance. Seems like every patient I giveit to has a psychotic episode.

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Just an FYI, Amiodarone didnt actually replace Lidocaine, it was just added to the algorhythm and you pick either Lidocaine or Amiodarone.

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Specializes in LTC, Home Health.

I've seen little old ladies get even more hyper after taking ambien..no fun for the staff when she's trying to climb out of bed or the geri chair.

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Specializes in Orthosurgery, Rehab, Homecare.
This client developed an immune response to heparin, caused lysis of the red cells and she went into DIC and died a very ugly death.

Good Lord!:eek:

~Jen

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Flagyl can make an INR go sky high in a pt. on Coumadin.

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