Multaq FAQ
Facts About Multaq or Dronedarone
1. Dronedarone was designed to eliminate the
organ toxicity of amiodarone (its parent compound) without compromising efficacy.
2. The half-life of dronedarone is 30 hours compared to approximately 2 months for
amiodarone. It stays in your system a shorter period of time - means the chance of it becoming toxic to your organs
is less.
3. The pooled results of four randomized trials demonstrate that dronedarone
prevented a recurrence of atrial fibrillation (Afib) in 57% of patients, compared to 46% with placebo.
4. BUT, and there always is one, in a randomized trial dronedarone was 50% less
effective than amiodarone for preventing Afib and was not significantly better tolerated.
5. Dronedarone increases the risk of death in patients with severe or recently
worsened heart failure.
6. In a clinical trial, dronedarone was associated with a 24% reduction in the risk
of cardiovascular hospitalization and did not significantly affect mortality(death rate).
7. The main side effects of dronedarone are diarrhea, nausea, and rash, and there is
no evidence that dronedarone causes proarrhythmia or endocrine, neurological, or pulmonary toxicity.
8. The available data support the limited use of dronedarone in patients without
recently decompensated heart failure, mostly as a second-line agent as an alternative to amiodarone.
Multaq FAQ - In Short: It is
clear that dronedarone is not what many had hoped for, namely ‘a safe amiodarone.’ Freedom from organ toxicity
comes with the price of lower effectiveness than amiodarone. This, along with the high cost ($9/day retail), may
limit its use in clinical practice.
My Experience - Made me feel sick for about two weeks and since then - no
problems. It does not require a 3 day hospital stay to start the drug and that was a real plus over
Tikosyn.
Stingram.
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