Amiodarone vs. Flecainide for A-fib ... - Atrial Fibrillati...

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Amiodarone vs. Flecainide for A-fib , which is worse on liver ect, side effects?

markoolo profile image
7 Replies

googled found both have a lot of side effects. wondering which is less harmful while treating A-fib.

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BobD profile image
BobDVolunteer

Long term flecainide is probably less of a problem as amiodarone can be the more toxic. However, short term amiodarone is a very good anti arrhythmic provided that the usual precautions are taken.

Stinky1953 profile image
Stinky1953 in reply to BobD

Bob please explain "usual precautions". I've been prescribed Amiodarone 200mg once a day and can't make up my mind wether to start or not. I'm 21 days post 2nd ablation and have hr between 95 & 110 and am told it's tachycardia. Am on 1.25 mg Bisopralol and Edoxaban once a day.

PengieP profile image
PengieP in reply to BobD

FWIW, I've been taking 200mg Amiodarone daily for at least 6 years. I am very fortunate to have had few if any side effects. I am more sensitive to the sun, but nanoparticulate zinc SPF 50 really helps me. My skin tone is a bit yellowish so maybe I have a bit more protective melanin than a lot of the folks who have a lot of sensitivity. I've been in normal sinus rhythm since a cardioversion in 2014

I was on amiodorone for 4 months. I got sunburn inside the house wearing factor 50+ if I sat too close to a window.

I felt like I had no life at all, I've always enjoyed the great outdoors and enjoyed cycling and surfing.

Thankfully as it had not put me back in NSR after 4 months I was told to stop taking it.

Mazza23 profile image
Mazza23

Can't take either amiodarone because of lqts a and flec because of heart failur

Coco51 profile image
Coco51

I am having the same dilemma. Increasing Flecainide to 300 mg a day for 2 days has stopped two bouts of AF even after it had been going on for 2 weeks and 3 weeks duration. This time not so lucky. 5 days and no result, exhausting. I feel very dizzy and am wondering if that's the effect of Extra Flecainide, or extra Bisoprolol, or interaction with blood pressure meds....or the AF.

Last time I saw the EP he said Amioderone was very effective-though dirty- and had a success rate 10 percent higher than Flecainide (70% over 60%). He said the toxic effects usually only come after long term use. He suggested taking it for the few months till the second ablation shouldn't do long term damage. Not a ringing endorsement but being out of rhythm is also damaging. I still don't fancy taking Amioderone. I will try for another cardioversion

markoolo profile image
markoolo

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