Quinidine

Quinidine is used to regulate heartbeat. If you want to use the medication then first tell your doctor about the medical conditions if you have. Because in certain medical conditions, you cannot use the medication, like if you have allergic reaction or blood problems, any type of heart disease, liver disease, kidney disease, or myasthenia gravis. The medication belongs to FDA pregnancy category C which means that it is not known whether it could be harmful to unborn baby, so first discuss with your doctor before using the medication. The medication passes into milk of nursing mother. Therefore if you are breast-feeding a baby then consult with your doctor before starting the medication.

Take the medication as prescribed to you by your doctor and it is better to take the medication with food in order to lessen the stomach disorders. Swallow the capsule as a whole, because it is formulated to release the drugs slowly in the stomach and if you crush or break the capsule then the drug will release at one time. You should not change your doses schedule without consulting the doctor because it is possible that changing the schedule may worsen your condition. For better effect of the medication, follow a regular schedule of doses. During the treatment with Quinidine, your doctor may ask for blood tests to monitor the effects of the medication. You should avoid grapefruit and grapefruit juices during the treatment, because they can interact with Quinidine. Place the medication at room temperature and away from heat and moisture.



If you miss a dose of the medication then take it as soon as you get remembered and if it is almost the time of next dose then skip the missed dose and follow your regular schedule of doses. Don’t take greater amount of medication and if you overdose the medication, then you should get the emergency medical help. The symptoms of overdose include confusion, tiredness, seizures, difficulty in breathing, fainting, rapid heartbeat and coma. If there are grapefruit or grapefruit juices in your diet then you should tell your doctor because it can interact with the medication.

If you experience the serious side effects then stop the medication and get medical help. The side effects include difficult breathing, closing of the throat, swelling of the lips, tongue or face, hives, worsening of irregular heartbeat pattern, chest pain, ringing in vision, dizziness, fainting or headache, rash, abdominal pain, nausea, or vomiting, and yellowing of skin or eyes. You can also experience less severe side effects like mild upset of stomach, headache, decreased appetite, diarrhea, and muscle weakness, but you should continue your medication and tell your doctor about the side effects.

If you are using other drugs then tell your doctor about them, because it is possible that they interact with Quinidine. The drugs include pimozide, itraconazole, ziprasidone, voriconazole, thioridazine, ritonavir, dolasetron, digoxin, warfarin, and erythromycin, medicines for regulation of heartbeats, beta-blocker, tricyclic antidepressant, and phenothiazine. There are many drugs other than those that are listed above, which can interact with Quinidine and give serious consequences.