dofetilide-oral (cont.)
PRECAUTIONS: Tell your doctor your medical history, including: heart (e.g., prolonged QT interval) problems, kidney disease, liver disease, low blood potassium or magnesium, any allergies. Caution is advised when using this drug in the elderly, as they may have decreased kidney function. This may result in more side effects as dofetilide builds up in the bloodstream. Caution is advised when using this drug in females since they may be more sensitive to certain side effects (e.g., serious arrhythmias known as torsade de pointes). This medication should be used only when clearly needed during pregnancy. Discuss the risks and benefits with your doctor. It is not known whether this drug passes into breast milk. Because of the potential risk to the infant, breast-feeding while using this drug is not recommended. Consult your doctor before breast-feeding.
DRUG INTERACTIONS: This drug is not recommended for use with: hydrochlorothiazide. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Tell your doctor of all prescription and nonprescription medication you may use, especially of: drugs that interfere with kidney action (cation transport inhibitors, including prochlorperazine, megestrol, cimetidine, ketoconazole, and drugs containing trimethoprim), certain antipsychotics (e.g., chlorpromazine), "water pills" (diuretics such as furosemide), amiloride, triamterene, verapamil, diltiazem, metformin, azole antifungals (e.g., itraconazole), macrolide antibiotics (e.g., clarithromycin), protease inhibitors (e.g., ritonavir), quinine, zafirlukast, dronabinol, norfloxacin, antidepressants (nefazodone, and SSRI-types such as fluoxetine). Report other drugs which affect the heart rhythm (QTc prolongation), such as: pimozide, quinidine, sotalol, procainamide, sparfloxacin. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Certain other drugs for irregular heartbeats (Class I or III antiarrhythmic agents, including amiodarone) should be stopped for a period of time before starting dofetilide. Consult your doctor. If your doctor stops your dofetilide treatment in order to more safely prescribe an interacting drug, wait 2 days before starting the new drug, unless instructed otherwise. This allows the dofetilide to be removed from your bloodstream. Consult your doctor or pharmacist for more details. Do not start or stop any medicine without doctor or pharmacist approval.
Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration
You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit the FDA MedWatch website or call 1-800-FDA-1088.
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