Can You Take Too Much Sotalol?
Sotalol (
Betapace®,
Sorine®) is a prescription medication used to treat irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias). As with most medications, it is possible to take too much sotalol. The specific effects of an overdose can be dangerous, but will vary, depending on a number of factors, including the
sotalol dosage and whether it was taken with any other medications or substances.
Effects of an Overdose With Sotalol
An overdose of sotalol or other
beta blockers may cause the following problems:
- Slow heart rate (bradycardia)
- Constriction of the airway, which may cause breathing problems
- Low blood pressure (hypotension)
- Low blood sugar (hypoglycemia)
- Congestive heart failure
- Dangerous irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
Treatment for a Sotalol Overdose
The treatment for a sotalol overdose will vary. If the overdose was recent, your healthcare provider may give certain medicines or place a tube into the stomach to "pump the stomach." Dialysis is not useful for removing the medication from the blood. Treatment will also involve supportive care, such as:
- Giving medications to increase the heart rate or control an arrhythmia
- "Shocking" the heart (electrical cardioversion) if necessary
- Giving IV fluids and medications to increase blood pressure
- Giving asthma medications to reverse airway constriction
- Giving IV glucose to reverse low blood sugar.
It is important that you seek medical attention right away if you believe that you may have taken too much sotalol.
