Pacerone is a powerful anti-arrhythmic drug that is extremely toxic in many parts of the body. The most serious risks include pulmonary toxicity, liver disease, blindness, worsening irregular heart rhythm, and death.
Overview
Pacerone contains amiodarone, a medication that helps control severe irregular heart rhythm. It was only intended as a drug of “last-resort,” but has increasingly become a first-line treatment for common heart diseases.
The problem is that Pacerone frequently causes severe side effects. Between 15-50% of patients develop side effects, and 20% must stop taking it due to side effects.
FDA Warning: Pulmonary Toxicity
The FDA has issued warnings about pulmonary toxicity, which occurs in up to 17% of patients. About 10% of patients who develop lung disease die from it. Pulmonary toxicity can scar the lungs and cause wheezing, shortness of breath, and death.
Vision Loss and Blindness
Vision problems are another common side effect. Studies estimated that 2% of patients will develop vision loss. Of these patients, around 20% go legally blind in at least one eye. Furthermore, around 90% of patients develop corneal deposits, which causes 2-5% of patients to see “halos” around bright lights.