Dofetilide Side Effects

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jul 11, 2024.

Applies to dofetilide: oral capsule.

Important warnings This medicine can cause some serious health issues

Oral route (capsule)

To minimize the risk of induced arrhythmia, patients initiated or re-initiated on dofetilide should be placed for a minimum of 3 days in a facility that can provide calculations of creatinine clearance, continuous ECG monitoring, and cardiac resuscitation.

Serious side effects of dofetilide

Along with its needed effects, dofetilide may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking dofetilide:

More common side effects

• dizziness
• fainting
• fast heartbeat

Less common side effects

• chest pain
• confusion
• facial or flaccid paralysis
• numbness or tingling of the hands, feet, or face
• paralysis
• pounding, slow heartbeat
• slurred speech
• swelling of the ankles, arms, face, feet, fingers, legs, lips, tongue, or throat
• troubled breathing
• unexplained shortness of breath
• unusual tiredness or weakness
• weight gain
• yellow eyes or skin

Other side effects of dofetilide

Some side effects of dofetilide may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common side effects

• abdominal or stomach pain
• accidental injury
• back pain
• chills
• cough
• diarrhea
• fever
• flu-like symptoms
• general feeling of discomfort or illness
• headache
• joint pain
• loss of appetite
• migraine
• muscle aches and pains
• nausea
• rash
• runny nose
• shivering
• sneezing
• sore throat
• sweating
• trouble sleeping
• vomiting

For healthcare professionals

Applies to dofetilide: oral capsule.

General adverse events

The most frequent adverse events were headache, chest pain, and dizziness.^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

• Very common (10% or more): Ventricular arrhythmias (up to 14.5%), ventricular tachycardia (up to 12.4%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Torsade de pointes, ventricular fibrillation, atrioventricular block, heart block
• Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Bundle branch block
• Frequency not reported: Angina pectoris, atrial fibrillation, hypertension, palpitation, supraventricular tachycardia, bradycardia, heart arrest, myocardial infarct^[Ref]

Nervous system

• Very common (10% or more): Headache (11%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Dizziness
• Frequency not reported: Cerebral ischemia, cerebrovascular accident, facial paralysis, flaccid paralysis, migraine, paralysis, paresthesia, syncope^[Ref]

Other

• Very common (10% or more): Chest pain (10%)
• Common (1% to 10%): Accidental injury, medical/surgical/health service procedure
• Frequency not reported: Asthenia, pain, edema, peripheral edema, sudden death, application complication, injection complication, incision complication, insertion complication, device complication^[Ref]

Respiratory

• Common (1% to 10%): Respiratory tract infection, dyspnea, flu syndrome
• Frequency not reported: Cough increased^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

• Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, diarrhea, abdominal pain^[Ref]

Dermatologic

• Common (1% to 10%): Rash
• Frequency not reported: Sweating, angioedema^[Ref]

Musculoskeletal

• Common (1% to 10%): Back pain
• Frequency not reported: Arthralgia^[Ref]

Psychiatric

• Common (1% to 10%): Insomnia
• Frequency not reported: Anxiety^[Ref]

Genitourinary

• Frequency not reported: Urinary tract infection^[Ref]

Hepatic

• Frequency not reported: Liver damage^[Ref]

Further information

Dofetilide side effects can vary depending on the individual. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances.

Note: Medication side effects may be underreported. If you are experiencing side effects that are not listed, submit a report to the FDA by following this guide.

Medical Disclaimer