Disopyramide (Systemic)

Brand Names : Norpace, Norpace CR, Rythmodan, Rythmodan-LA

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For disopyramide, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to disopyramide. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substance, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Disopyramide has not been studied in pregnant women. However, use of disopyramide in a small number of pregnant women seems to show that this medicine may cause contractions of the uterus. Studies in animals have shown that disopyramide increases the risk of miscarriages. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - Disopyramide passes into breast milk.

Children - This medicine has been tested in children and has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults - Some side effects, such as difficult urination and dry mouth, may be especially likely to occur in elderly patients, who are usually more sensitive than younger adults to the effects of disopyramide.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking disopyramide, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Antidepressants, tricyclic, such as amitriptyline (e.g., Elavil), clomipramine (e.g., Anafranil), desipramine (e.g., Norpramin), doxepin (e.g., Sinequan), imipramine (e.g., Tofranil), and nortriptyline (e.g., Pamelor) or
• Astemizole (e.g., Hismanal) or
• Chloroquine (e.g., Aralen) or
• Clarithromycin (e.g., Biaxin) or
• Cisapride (e.g., Propulsid) or
• Diphenhydramine (e.g., Benadryl) or
• Erythromycin (e.g., Erythrocin, Erytab) or
• Fludrocortisone (e.g., Florinef) or
• Halofantrine (e.g., Halfan) or
• Haloperidol (e.g., Haldol) or
• Indapamide (e.g., Lozol) or
• Maprotiline (e.g., Ludiomil) or
• Other heart medicine, including amiodarone (e.g., Cordarone); bepridil (e.g., Bepadin, Vascor); beta-adrenergic blocking agents, such as propranolol (e.g., Inderal) or sotalol (e.g., Betapace, Sotacor); diltiazem (e.g., Cardizem); encainide (e.g., Encaid); flecainide (e.g., Tambocor); ibutilide (e.g., Corvert); lidocaine (e.g., Xylocaine); procainamide (e.g., Procanbid); propafenone (e.g., Rythmol); quinidine (e.g., Quinidex); tocainide (e.g., Tonocard); and verapamil (e.g., Calan, Isoptin) or
• Pentamidine (e.g., NebuPent, Pentam) or
• Phenothiazines (chlorpromazine [e.g., Thorazine], prochlorperazine [e.g., Compazine], thioridazine [e.g., Mellaril]) or
• Pimozide (e.g., Orap) or
• Risperidone (e.g., Risperdal) or
• Sparfloxacin (e.g., Zagam) or
• Tamoxifen (e.g., Nolvadex) or
• Thiothixene (e.g., Navane) or
• Trimethoprim and sulfamethoxazole combination (e.g., Bactrim, Septra) - Effects on the heart may be increased

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of disopyramide. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Diabetes mellitus (sugar diabetes) - Disopyramide may cause low blood sugar

• Difficult urination or
• Enlarged prostate - Disopyramide may cause difficult urination

• Electrolyte disorders - Disopyramide may worsen heart rhythm problems

• Glaucoma (history of) or
• Myasthenia gravis - Disopyramide may aggravate these conditions

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - Effects may be increased because of slower removal of disopyramide from the body

• Low blood pressure or
• Other heart disorders - Effects of disopyramide on the heart may make these conditions worse

• Malnutrition, long term - Disopyramide may cause low blood sugar