amiodarone vs carvedilol
PlainMeds reviewed this comparison against our methodology in August 2026. It places FDA and CMS record fields side by side, without recommending either medication.
Side-by-side comparison of amiodarone and carvedilol. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
minor Known Drug Interaction
( 7.4 ) Amiodarone may increase carvedilol levels resulting in further slowing of the heart rate or cardiac conduction. 7.6 Amiodarone Amiodarone and its metabolite desethyl amiodarone, inhibitors of CYP2C9, and P-glycoprotein increased concentrations of the S(-)-enantiomer of carvedilol by at least 2 fold [see Clinical Pharmacology ( 12.5 )] . The concomitant administration of amiodarone or other CYP2C9 inhibitors such as fluconazole with carvedilol may enhance the β-blocking activity, resulting in further slowing of the heart rate or cardiac conduction.
Cordarone, Pacerone
Coreg
Amiodarone (Pacerone) is a medicine used to treat life-threatening, irregular heartbeats. It helps to restore a normal heart rhythm when other medicines don't work or can't be used.
Carvedilol is a medicine that lowers blood pressure and helps your heart work better. It belongs to a class of drugs called alpha/beta-blockers.
This medicine treats very fast, irregular heartbeats in the ventricles (lower chambers of the heart). It is used when these irregular heartbeats are life-threatening. It is also used when other medicines don't work well enough or cause too many side effects. This medicine is for adults.
Carvedilol treats a few different heart conditions. It is used for long-term heart failure to help you live longer and go to the hospital less. It also helps people who had a heart attack and have a weak heart pump. Carvedilol can also treat high blood pressure.
Amiodarone affects the electrical signals in your heart. It slows down these signals, which helps your heart beat normally. This medicine can help prevent dangerous, fast heart rhythms.
Carvedilol works by blocking the effects of certain natural chemicals in your body, such as adrenaline. This helps to relax blood vessels and slows down your heart rate. As a result, it lowers blood pressure and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood.
- • Low thyroid levels (hypothyroidism)
- • High thyroid levels (hyperthyroidism)
- • Heart failure
- • Irregular heartbeats
- • Problems with the heart's natural pacemaker (SA node dysfunction)
- • Dizziness
- • Tiredness
- • Low blood pressure
- • Diarrhea
- • High blood sugar
- Dyspnoea 1,158
- Asthenia 975
- Fatigue 895
- Nausea 606
- Cough 597
- Fatigue 8,669
- Dyspnoea 8,178
- Diarrhoea 6,867
- Dizziness 6,776
- Nausea 6,492
This medicine can cause serious problems with your lungs, liver, and heart. Lung problems can be fatal. Your doctor will check your lungs with X-rays and breathing tests. Liver problems can also be fatal. Your doctor will check your liver with blood tests. This medicine can also make irregular heartbeats worse. You will likely start this medicine in the hospital where your heart can be monitored.
Do not stop taking carvedilol suddenly if you have heart problems. This can make chest pain worse and may cause a heart attack. If you need to stop taking carvedilol, your doctor will slowly lower your dose over 1 to 2 weeks. Carvedilol can also cause your heart rate to slow down too much or lower your blood pressure too much. If your pulse rate drops below 55 beats per minute, talk to your doctor about lowering the dose.
This medicine can harm your unborn baby. It can cause thyroid problems, slow heart rate, and brain development issues. Do not breastfeed while taking this medicine.
It is not known if carvedilol will harm your unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. Beta-blockers like carvedilol may cause low blood pressure, slow heart rate, and breathing problems in newborns.
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How to Read This amiodarone vs carvedilol Comparison
amiodarone is classified in the Class III Antiarrhythmic drug class, while carvedilol sits within the Beta-Blocker (Alpha/Beta) class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.
Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, amiodarone has 4,231 submissions while carvedilol has 36,982. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known minor interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to amiodarone blocks the proteins that normally break down carvedilol, which can cause carvedilol to build up and slow your heart rate too much.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot represent individual circumstances. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This registry does not provide medical, treatment, substitution, or medication-change directions for amiodarone or carvedilol.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.