Sotalol Prescribing Information

Sotalol is the generic form of a prescription medication used to treat arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat. The medication is considered to be a part of the beta-blocker class of drugs.

Function

• Sotalol and other beta blockers work by interfering with the actions of adrenaline, a hormone produced naturally in your body. By blocking the effects of adrenaline, sotalol allows your heart to beat more slowly and at an even rhythm.

Features

• Use of Sotalol is reserved for use only in patients whose arrhythmia is life-threatening, according to RxList.

Dosage

• In adults, physicians initially prescribe 80mg of Sotalol two times each day, increasing every three days until patients are at the normal dosing level, which is between 240mg and 320mg per day.

Risks

• The most common side effects of Sotalol include sour stomach, belching, insomnia, heartburn, indigestion, weakness, pain in your arms or legs and stomach aches. The most significant risk of Sotalol is that of developing new forms of arrhythmia, such as Torsades de Pointes.

Considerations

• Because of the risk for new arrythmias, doctors typically begin Sotalol treatment in the supervised setting of a hospital. If you have a history of asthma, slow heartrate, heart block or failure, diabetes, hyperthyroidism, hypoglycemia, or kidney or liver disease, it may not be safe for you to take Sotalol due to its possible side effects, warns the Mayo Clinic.