Antiarrhythmic Drugs Health Article

Interactions

Antiarrhythmic drugs may interact with other medicines. When this happens, the effects of one or both of the drugs may change or the risk of side effects may be greater. Anyone who takes antiarrhythmic drugs should let the physician know all other medicines he or she is taking. Among the drugs that may interact with antiar-rhythmic drugs are:

• other heart medicines, including other antiarrhythmic drugs
• blood pressure medicine
• blood thinners
• pimozide (Orap), used to treat Tourette's syndrome

The list above does not include every drug that may interact with antiarrhythmic drugs. Be sure to check with a physician or pharmacist before combining antiarrhythmic drugs with any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter) medicine.

Nancy Ross-Flanigan

KEY TERMS

Anxiety—Worry or tension in response to real or imagined stress, danger, or dreaded situations. Physical reactions, such as fast pulse, sweating, trembling, fatigue, and weakness may accompany anxiety.

Arrhythmia—Abnormal heart rhythm.

Asthma—A disease in which the air passages of the lungs become inflamed and narrowed.

Emphysema—A lung disease in which breathing becomes difficult.

Glaucoma—A condition in which pressure in the eye is abnormally high. If not treated, glaucoma may lead to blindness.

Hallucination—A false or distorted perception of objects, sounds, or events that seems real. Hallucinations usually result from drugs or mental disorders.

Heat stroke—A severe condition caused by prolonged exposure to high heat. Heat stroke interferes with the body's temperature regulating abilities and can lead to collapse and coma.

Inflammation—Pain, redness, swelling, and heat that usually develop in response to injury or illness.

Myasthenia gravis—A chronic disease with symptoms that include muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis.

Palpitation—Rapid, forceful, throbbing, or fluttering heartbeat.

Prostate—A donut-shaped gland below the bladder in men that contributes to the production of semen.

Psoriasis—A skin disease in which people have itchy, scaly, red patches on the skin.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)—A chronic disease that affects the skin, joints, and certain internal organs.

Tourette syndrome—A condition in which a person has tics and other involuntary behavior, such as barking, sniffing, swearing, grunting, and making uncontrollable movements.

Tremor—Shakiness or trembling.