QUINIDINE

(KWIH nih deen) Brand: Quin-G

What is the most significant information I must know about quinidine?

• You must not take this medicine if you have ever had an allergic reaction to quinidine or quinine (Qualaquin), including light bruising or unusual bleeding. You must not take quinidine if you have myasthenia gravis or determined heart conditions, especially "AV block" (unless you have a pacemaker).

• Till you take quinidine, speak your doctor if you have a slow heart course, congestive heart failure, a serious heart condition such as "sick sinus syndrome," kidney or liver malady, low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood, a history of "Long QT syndrome," if you are on a low-salt diet, or if you have ever had an emergency electrocardiogram or ECG (sometimes called an EKG).

• If you need surgery, speak the surgeon onward of time that you are using quinidine. You may need to stop using the medication for a short time.

• Ask your doctor how to adjust your quinidine doze if needed. Do not change your medicine doze or schedule without your doctor's advice.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as: vomiting and diarrhea, ringing in the ears, hearing loss, severe dizziness, changes in vision, pain behind your eyes, white patches or cloudiness in your eyes, pale or yellowed skin, dark urine, light bruising or bleeding, wheezing, trouble breathing, or a new or a worsening irregular heartbeat pattern.

• There are much another drugs that can interact with quinidine. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor. Hold a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

What is quinidine?

• Quinidine affects the way that the heart beats.

• Quinidine is used to help hold the heart beating normally in people with determined heart rhythm disorders.

• Quinidine may also be used for purposes not listed in this medicine guide.

What must I discuss with my healthcare provider till taking quinidine?

• To create certain you can safely take quinidine, speak your doctor if you have any of these another conditions:

· slow heart rate;

· congestive heart failure;

· a serious heart condition such as "sick sinus syndrome";

· kidney disease;

· liver disease;

· low levels of potassium or magnesium in your blood;

· a history of "Long QT syndrome";

· if you are on a low-salt diet; or

· if you have ever had an emergency electrocardiogram or ECG (sometimes called an EKG).

• FDA pregnancy category C. It is not known whether quinidine will harm an unborn child. Speak your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant while using this medication.

• Quinidine can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing child. Do not use this medicine without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How must I take quinidine?

• Take exactly as predesigned by your doctor. Do not take in larger or less amounts or for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label.

• Your doctor may occasionally change your doze to create certain you get the excellent results.

• Do not crush or chew an extended-release tablet. Swallow it intact. You may interrupt the tablet in half if your doctor instructs you to.

• If you need surgery, speak the surgeon onward of time that you are using quinidine. You may need to stop using the medication for a short time.

• Ask your doctor how to adjust your quinidine doze if needed. Do not change your medicine doze or schedule without your doctor's advice.

• Use quinidine regularly to get the most benefit. Get your prescription refilled till you run out of medication completely.

• While using quinidine, you may need blood trials at your doctor's office. Visit your doctor regularly.

• Store at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

• Take the missed doze as soon as you remember. Skip the missed doze if it is nearly time for your following scheduled doze. Do not take extra medication to create up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

• Search abnormal medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222.

• Overdose symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, ringing in your ears or hearing problems, dizziness or spinning sensation, blurred vision, irregular heartbeat, confusion, or feeling like you might pass out.

What must I avoid while taking quinidine?

• Do not change the amount of salt in your diet unless your doctor tells you to.

• Grapefruit and grapefruit juice may interact with quinidine and lead to potentially dangerous effects. Discuss the use of grapefruit commodity with your doctor. Do not magnify or decrease the amount of grapefruit commodity in your diet without first talking to your doctor.

What are the possible side effects of quinidine?

• Get abnormal medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your person, lips, tongue, or throat.

• Call your doctor at once if you have a serious side effect such as:

· vomiting and diarrhea;

· ringing in the ears, hearing loss, severe dizziness;

· feeling like you might pass out;

· changes in vision, pain behind your eyes, heighten sensitivity of your eyes to light;

· white patches on your eyes;

· cloudiness in the pupils or iris of your eyes;

· a new or a worsening irregular heartbeat pattern;

· pale or yellowed skin, dark colored urine, fever, confusion or weakness;

· nausea, stomach pain, low fever, loss of appetite, clay-colored stools;

· seizure (convulsions);

· light bruising, unusual bleeding (nose, mouth, vagina, or rectum), purple or red pinpoint spots under your skin; or

· bronchospasm (wheezing, chest tightness, trouble breathing).

• Smaller serious side effects may include:

· mild nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea;

· heartburn;

· depressed mood;

· muscle or joint pain;

· headache, dizziness;

· mild skin rash;

· skin dryness, peeling, or flaking; or

· flushing (warmth, redness, or tingly feeling).

• This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may message side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

What another drugs will affect quinidine?

• Much drugs can interact with quinidine. Adown is just a partial list. Speak your doctor if you are using:

· cimetidine (Tagamet);

· digoxin (Lanoxin);

· ketoconazole (Extina, Ketozole, Nizoral, Xolegal);

· rifampin (Rifater, Rifadin, Rifamate);

· warfarin (Coumadin);

· a diuretic (water pill);

· glaucoma medicine such as acetazolamide (Diamox) or methazolamide (Glauctabs, Neptazane);

· heart or blood pressure medicine such as diltiazem (Cartia, Cardizem), felodipine (Plendil), nicardipine (Cardene), nimodipine, Nimotop), nifedipine (Nifedical, Procardia), propranolol (Inderal), or verapamil (Calan, Covera, Isoptin, Verelan);

· medicines to treat psychiatric disorders, such as haloperidol (Haldol), and others;

· narcotic medicine such as codeine or hydrocodone (Lortab, Vicodin);

· another heart rhythm medications such as amiodarone (Cordarone, Pacerone), mexiletine (Mexitil), disopyramide (Norpace), or procainamide (Procan SR, Procanbid, Pronestyl);

· a phenothiazine such as chlorpromazine (Thorazine), promethazine (Phenergan, Promethegan), prochlorperazine (Compazine), and others;

· seizure medicine such as phenytoin (Dilantin) or phenobarbital (Solfoton);

· sodium bicarbonate, potassium citrate (K-Lyte, Urocit-K), sodium citrate and citric acid (Bicitra, Oracit), or sodium citrate and potassium (Citrolith, Polycitra); or

· an antidepressant such as amitriptyline (Elavil), doxepin (Sinequan), clomipramine (Anafranil), imipramine (Tofranil), and others.

• This list is not complete and there are much another drugs that can interact with quinidine. Speak your doctor about all medications you use. This includes prescription, over-the-counter, vitamin, and herbal commodity. Do not start a new medicine without telling your doctor. Hold a list of all your medicines and show it to any healthcare provider who treats you.

Where can I get more information?

• Your pharmacist can provide more information about quinidine.

Remember, hold this and all another medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this medicine only for the indication prescribed.

Disclaim: Each effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses external of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way must be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safety, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the help of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.

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