Two medicines, side by side
Adenosine vs amiodarone
Adenosine has no indication this site maps; amiodarone has no indication this site maps. Their labels share no use, so they are not alternatives to each other. Drugs@FDA records approvals of adenosine since 1989 and of amiodarone since 1985. In FDA's classes, adenosine is an adenosine receptor agonist and amiodarone an antiarrhythmic.
Check it at the source: the adenosine FDA label on DailyMed (effective April 14, 2025); the amiodarone FDA label on DailyMed (effective December 9, 2025).
Highlights of the adenosine record
Adenosine (Adenocard) · label of April 14, 2025
Used for
From the label: indicationsAdenosine injection is indicated as an adjunct to thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in patients unable to exercise adequately. Adenosine injection, a pharmacologic stress agent, is indicated as an adjunct to thallium-201 myocardial perfusion scintigraphy in patients unable to exercise adequately
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- October 30, 1989
- Generic labelers
- 13 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- Not in the survey
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 2
Highlights of the amiodarone record
Amiodarone (Pacerone) · label of December 9, 2025
PULMONARY, HEPATIC AND CARDIAC TOXICITY Amiodarone hydrochloride is intended for use only in patients with the indicated life-threatening arrhythmias because its use is accompanied by substantial toxicity [see Indications and Usage (1) ]. Amiodarone hydrochloride can cause pulmonary toxicity (hypersensitivity pneumonitis or interstitial/alveolar pneumonitis) that has resulted in clinically manifest disease at rates as high as 17% in some series of patients.
Used for
From the label: indicationsAmiodarone hydrochloride is indicated for the treatment of documented, life-threatening recurrent ventricular fibrillation and life-threatening recurrent hemodynamically unstable tachycardia in adults who have not responded to adequate doses of other available antiarrhythmics or when alternative agents cannot be tolerated. Amiodarone hydrochloride is an antiarrhythmic indicated for: Recurrent ventricular fibrillation. […]
On the market
- Earliest approval on file
- December 24, 1985
- Generic labelers
- 32 labelers
- Pharmacy cost
- $0.122 per tablet
Supply and safety
- Shortage
- No current entry
- Recalls
- 7
Source: FDA drug labels via openFDA (Adenosine label of April 14, 2025, Amiodarone label of December 9, 2025); NDC Directory, Drugs@FDA, NADAC, FDA shortages and recalls (October 8, 2026)
How do adenosine and amiodarone differ on the record?
In FDA's classes, adenosine is an adenosine receptor agonist and amiodarone an antiarrhythmic.
How each works, in its label's words: Adenosine, “Adenosine is thought to exert its pharmacological effects through activation of purine receptors (cell-surface A 1 and A 2 adenosine receptors).”; Amiodarone, “Amiodarone is considered a class III antiarrhythmic drug, but it possesses electrophysiologic characteristics of all four Vaughan Williams classes.”
Only the amiodarone label carries a boxed warning.
Generics: adenosine since 2004; amiodarone since 1998 (Drugs@FDA).
| Adenosine | Amiodarone | |
|---|---|---|
| Labeled for | n/a | n/a |
| Pharmacologic class | Adenosine Receptor Agonist | Antiarrhythmic |
| How it works (label) | Adenosine causes cardiac vasodilation which increases cardiac blood flow. Adenosine is thought to exert its pharmacological effects through activation of purine receptors (cell-surface A 1 and A 2 adenosine receptors). | Amiodarone is considered a class III antiarrhythmic drug, but it possesses electrophysiologic characteristics of all four Vaughan Williams classes. |
| Half-life (label) | n/a | Elimination Following single dose administration in 12 healthy subjects, amiodarone exhibited multi- compartmental pharmacokinetics with a mean apparent plasma terminal elimination half-life of 58 days (range 15 to 142 … |
| Earliest approval on file (Drugs@FDA) | October 30, 1989 | December 24, 1985 |
| First generic approved | June 16, 2004 | April 30, 1998 |
| Generic labelers (NDC) | 13 labelers | 32 labelers |
| Pharmacy cost (NADAC, each one's most listed form; strengths differ) | n/a | $0.122 per tablet (Amiodarone HCl 200 mg tablet) |
| 12-month price change | n/a | +4% |
| Boxed warning | No | Yes |
| Shortage now | No current entry | No current entry |
| Recalls recorded | 2 | 7 |
| FAERS reports (a report is not proof of cause; counts follow how widely a medicine is used) | 1,600 | 11,139 |
| DEA schedule | none | none |
Source: Drugs@FDA, FDA NDC Directory, CMS NADAC of October 7, 2026, FDA shortages and recalls, FAERS via openFDA (FDA files October 8, 2026)
What next?
- Alternatives to adenosine
- every medicine labeled for the same conditions