Ibutilide

Ibutilide is a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of atrial fibrillation or flutter.

• Ibutilide is available under the following different brand names: Corvert

Adult dosage

Injectable solution

• 0.1mg/mL

Atrial Fibrillation/Flutter

Adult dosage

• Less than 60 kg: 0.01 mg/kg (0.1 mL/kg) IV infusion repeat after 10 minutes as needed  
• More than 60 kg: 1 mg (one vial) IV infusion, repeat after 10 minutes as needed

Dosage Considerations – Should be Given as Follows: 

• See “Dosages”

Common side effects of Ibutilide include:

• mild headache, and
• nausea.

Serious side effects of Ibutilide include:

• headache with chest pain and severe dizziness,
• shortness of breath,
• lightheadedness, and 
• signs of an allergic reaction: hives, difficult breathing, swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Rare side effects of Ibutilide include:

• none 

This is not a complete list of side effects and other serious side effects or health problems that may occur as a result of the use of this drug. Call your doctor for medical advice about serious side effects or adverse reactions. You may report side effects or health problems to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

If your medical doctor is using this medicine to treat your pain, your doctor or pharmacist may already be aware of any possible drug interactions and may be monitoring you for them. Do not start, stop, or change the dosage of any medicine before checking with your doctor, health care provider, or pharmacist first.

• Ibutilide has severe interactions with at least 52 other drugs.
• Ibutilide has serious interactions with at least 66 other drugs.
• Ibutilide has moderate interactions with at least 41 other drugs.
• Ibutilide has minor interactions with the following drugs: 
  • chloroquine
  • lily of the valley

This information does not contain all possible interactions or adverse effects. Visit the RxList Drug Interaction Checker for any drug interactions. Therefore, before using this product, tell your doctor or pharmacist about all the products you use. Keep a list of all your medications with you and share this information with your doctor and pharmacist. Check with your health care professional or doctor for additional medical advice, or if you have health questions or concerns.

Contraindications

• Prolongs QT interval: concurrent QT-prolonging drugs or congenital long QT patients; QTc more than 440 msec

Effects of drug abuse

• None

Short-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Ibutilide?”

Long-Term Effects

• See “What Are Side Effects Associated with Using Ibutilide?”

Cautions

• Administer in a setting of continuous ECG monitoring and by personnel trained in treating arrhythmias such as polymorphic ventricular tachycardia
• ANTICIPATE ARRHYTHMIAS, have all materials at hand to handle potential lethal arrhythmias for at least 4-6 hours
• A-Fib for more than 2-3 days duration requires anticoagulation before therapy
• Hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia other electrolyte disturbances must be corrected before and throughout therapy
• Caution in bradycardia, CHF, electrolyte abnormalities, history of polymorphic VT after antiarrhythmic therapy, liver disease, proarrhythmic events, recent MI
• Monitor for heart block
• Drugs that prolong the QT interval and other class I or class III antiarrhythmic agents should not be given concurrently with ibutilide (or within 4 hours after infusion), other antiarrhythmics should be withheld before conversion with ibutilide (e.g., 5 half-lives)

Pregnancy and Lactation

• Use with caution if the benefits outweigh the risks during pregnancy.
• Lactation
  • Enters breast milk; contraindicated