Texas Cordarone Class Action Lawyer

Cordarone contains amiodarone, a powerful anti-arrhythmic drug with severe toxicities. Some of the worst side effects include pulmonary toxicity (lung damage), blindness, and death.

Overview

In 2005, the FDA updated the label on Cordarone with a Boxed Warning about pulmonary toxicity, liver disease, and worsening heart rhythm problems. All of these side effects can be deadly.

Lung Disease

The most important severe side effect of Cordarone is pulmonary toxicity, which occurs in up to 17% of patients. About 10% of cases are fatal. Left untreated, it can cause permanent scarring in the lungs (called “fibrosis”) that narrows the airways and makes it hard to breathe. The symptoms of pulmonary toxicity include:

• Fever
• Shortness of breath
• Irritating cough
• Coughing up blood
• Tiredness

Blindness

About 2% of patients on Cordarone experience vision loss. Studies estimate 20% of patients with vision problems go legally blind in at least one eye. Over 90% of patients on Cordarone develop corneal deposits in the eyes. This does not usually cause blindness, but around 5% of patients will see “halos” or rings around bright lights.

Symptoms of vision problems:

• Pain around the eyes
• Pain when moving the eyes
• Vision loss
• Loss of color vision
• Loss of peripheral vision
• “Halos” around bright lights