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Sotalol is a prescription medication approved for treating various types of irregular heart rhythms, including atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. It comes in tablet form and is typically taken one to three times daily. The medicine belongs to two different drug classes; it is both a beta blocker (which slows heart rate) and a Class III antiarrhythmic medication (which blocks potassium channels in the heart).
Sotalol hydrochloride (Betapace®, Sorine®) is a prescription medication approved to treat various irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias). Sotalol AF is approved to treat atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, while the regular formula is approved to treat other arrhythmias. There are no important differences between the two, except sotalol AF comes with a special patient package insert with information for people with atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.
(Click What Is Sotalol Used For? for more information, including possible off-label uses.)
As with any medicine, side effects are possible with sotalol. However, unlike many other medications, sotalol can often cause life-threatening side effects. For this reason, this drug should only be used if the potential benefits clearly outweigh the possibly dangerous side effects.
Some of the most common side effects include but are not limited to:
- Fatigue
- Dizziness
- Shortness of breath
- A slow heart rate
- A life-threatening irregular heart rhythm.
(Click Sotalol Side Effects to learn more, including potentially serious side effects you should report immediately to your healthcare provider.)