amiodarone vs dofetilide
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 dofetilide. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.
Cordarone, Pacerone
Tikosyn
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.
Dofetilide (Tikosyn) helps keep your heart in a normal rhythm if you have atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. It can also help convert these abnormal rhythms back to normal.
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.
This medicine is used to maintain a normal heart rhythm if you have atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter for more than a week, and your heart has been returned to a normal rhythm. It can also convert atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter to a normal rhythm. This medicine is for people who have bothersome symptoms from their atrial fibrillation or flutter.
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.
Dofetilide belongs to a class of drugs called Class III antiarrhythmics. It works by changing the electrical activity in your heart. This helps to stabilize your heart rhythm and prevent irregular heartbeats.
- • Low thyroid levels (hypothyroidism)
- • High thyroid levels (hyperthyroidism)
- • Heart failure
- • Irregular heartbeats
- • Problems with the heart's natural pacemaker (SA node dysfunction)
- • Headache
- • Chest pain
- • Dizziness
- Dyspnoea 1,158
- Asthenia 975
- Fatigue 895
- Nausea 606
- Cough 597
- Atrial Fibrillation 1,058
- Dyspnoea 603
- Dizziness 552
- Fatigue 520
- Death 478
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.
This drug can cause life-threatening heart rhythm problems. To lower this risk, you must start or restart this medicine in a hospital where your heart can be watched closely for at least 3 days. The hospital staff will check your kidney function and heart rhythm regularly.
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.
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while pregnant or breastfeeding.
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How to Read This amiodarone vs dofetilide Comparison
amiodarone is classified in the Class III Antiarrhythmic drug class, while dofetilide sits within the Class III Antiarrhythmic class. Because both drugs share the same classification, they are often considered interchangeable in theory, but clinical outcomes rarely track that cleanly. 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 dofetilide has 3,211. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. No direct interaction between these two drugs is listed in our FDA-derived dataset, though co-prescription still warrants pharmacist review. 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 dofetilide.
Registry boundary: This comparison displays source-record fields and does not provide individualized medical direction.