How to Treat Amiodarone Neuropathy

Amiodarone is a drug used to control and prevent episodes of potentially life-threatening ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia. Ventricular fibrillation is the state of abnormal heartbeats; ventricular tachycardia is an abnormally fast heartbeat. Amiodarone is marketed under the brand names Cardarone and Pacerone in the U.S. One of the side effects of this medication is neuropathy, a form of nerve damage. Peripheral neuropathy produces numbness and tingling in the hands and feet; optic neuropathy causes swelling of the optic nerve and vision loss.

Things You'll Need

• Medications
• Pacemaker

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Instructions

• 1

  Visit your primary care physician or ophthalmologist if you are experiencing tingling, pain, or numbness in your limbs, or if you notice changes in your vision. Ruling out other causes for your neuropathy is essential before you can stop your medication.

• 2

  Speak to your cardiologist about reducing your dosage of amiodarone. Depending on your neuropathy symptoms and the severity of your heart condition, nerve disruption symptoms may resolve with a lower dose of amiodarone.

• 3

  Transition to a new heart medication to treat amiodarone neuropathy. A study reported in the May 2006 issue of "Archives of Ophthalmology" shows that some patients switched to drugs including digoxin, sotalol, propafenone, and warfarin. Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of different medications to manage your heart problems with your doctor.

• 4

  Discontinue use of amiodarone completely so that your neuropathy symptoms can be given a chance to abate. If the risk of ventricular fibrillation recurrence is high, ask your doctor about having a pacemaker installed. A pacemaker is a small device implanted in your chest that will shock your heart back into a regular pattern of beating in the case of a ventricular fibrillation.