Using oral amiodarone safely

Amiodarone is licensed for the treatment of severe cardiac rhythm disorders where other treatments either cannot be used or have failed. Because of safety concerns, the summary of product characteristics (SPC) recommends that amiodarone "should be initiated and normally monitored only under hospital or specialist supervision". However, the responsibility for prescribing and monitoring maintenance therapy often falls to non-specialists. Here, we discuss safety issues relating to the long-term use of oral amiodarone in adults.