For help in or near Chicago, Illinois, amiodarone victims need to consult with defective drugs attorney Gary D. McCallister.  Contact our office to schedule a complimentary initial consultation.  






Gary D. McCallister & Associates, LLC
120 N. LaSalle St., Suite 2800
Chicago, Illinois 60602

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Phone: (866) 892-5586

Chicago, Illinois Amiodarone and Defective Drugs Attorney

Millions of individuals are living with arrhythmias that are, in most cases, harmless.  However, some arrhythmias pose a serious risk of heart disease, stroke, or sudden cardiac arrest.  To treat the most serious, life-threatening types of arrhythmias, doctors continue to prescribe amiodarone, an antiarrhythmic medication that has been shown to have serious and potentially fatal side effects.  Victims of the adverse effects associated with amiodarone use may be entitled to compensation for damages.  At Gary D. McCallister & Associates, LLC in Chicago, Illinois, an amiodarone and defective drugs attorney will fight to protect your rights and help you obtain justice.

Amiodarone Background and Uses

Sold by Upsher-Smith Laboratories as Pacerone® and by Wyeth-Ayerst Laboratories as Cordarone®, amiodarone is a prescription medication used to treat arrhythmia, a heart condition involving an irregular heartbeat.  Due to its toxicity, amiodarone is often used as a last resort for patients whose arrhythmias do not respond to other conventional treatments. Our firm, in Chicago, Illinois, has investigated amiodarone and other defective drugs cases, and each attorney at our practice is highly skilled. 

Categories of Arrhythmia

Arrhythmias are generally grouped into two categories.  Atrial arrhythmias involve abnormal rhythms in the top two chambers of the heart.  By contrast, ventricular arrhythmias are located in the heart's two bottom chambers. Though amiodarone is indicated for the treatment of ventricular arrhythmias, a majority of amiodarone prescriptions have, in the past, been written for mostly unregulated, off-label uses, including treatment of atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and multifocal atrial tachycardia.  Amiodarone has proven effective in these off-label uses, but the full effects of the drug in these cases are largely undocumented.

An arrhythmia can be short in duration and cause little damage.  Some arrhythmias can, however, cause the heart to beat too fast (tachycardia – more than 100 beats per minute) or too slow (bradycardia – less than 60 beats per minute).  Such dramatic changes in rhythm sustained over time can cause considerable damage to the heart.  It is in these cases, when significant changes lead to dangerously irregular heart rhythms, that doctors often prescribe amiodarone.

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Side Effects and Injuries Associated with Amiodarone

Though amiodarone is effective in treating severe arrhythmias, serious side effects are associated with its use.   Individuals who have experienced these serious side effects need to seek immediate medical attention.  Additionally, they should have a Chicago, Illinois amiodarone and defective drugs attorney with our firm review their case to determine whether they may be entitled to compensation for their damages.

In the early phase of treatment with amiodarone, the most common side effects include fatigue, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and skin sensitivity.  Pulmonary toxicity, meanwhile, is the most serious long-term side effect associated with the use of amiodarone.  Additionally, prolonged use can lead to serious lung and liver trouble, worsening of the arrhythmia, thyroid problems, birth defects, tremor, and vision and neurological impairment.

It is estimated that nearly 20 percent of all amiodarone users develop some form of lung damage, with 10 percent of those cases ending in death.  These statistics are alarming considering the nearly 2.3 million amiodarone prescriptions written by doctors each year.

Amiodarone has also been associated with toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN), a rare skin condition in which major portions of the outer epidermis separate from the other dermal layers.  Individuals that develop toxic epidermal necrolysis are highly susceptible to organ failure and infection in the areas of the exposed, underlying tissue.

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Contact Chicago, Illinois Defective Drugs Attorney Gary D. McCallister & Associates, LLC

If you or a loved one has suffered the adverse effects associated with amiodarone use, our firm may be able to help you obtain compensation.  Contact Gary D. McCallister & Associates, LLC in Chicago, Illinois to schedule a consultation with an amiodarone and defective drugs attorney who can review your case and help you pursue the best course of action in your injury claim.