amiodarone vs tizanidine
Side-by-side comparison of amiodarone and tizanidine. 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
7.2 Moderate or Weak CYP1A2 Inhibitors Concomitant use of tizanidine with moderate or weak CYP1A2 inhibitors (e.g., zileuton, antiarrhythmics [amiodarone, mexiletine, propafenone, and verapamil], cimetidine, famotidine, oral contraceptives, acyclovir, and ticlopidine) should be avoided.
Recommendation: This combination should be avoided to prevent potential side effects.
Cordarone, Pacerone
Zanaflex
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.
Tizanidine is a muscle relaxant. It is used to treat spasticity, which is when your muscles are tight or stiff.
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.
Tizanidine is used to treat spasticity in adults. Spasticity is a condition where your muscles become stiff or tight. This medicine helps to relax your muscles and reduce the stiffness. It can help you move and feel more comfortable.
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.
Tizanidine works by affecting certain chemicals in your brain. It is an alpha-2 adrenergic agonist. This action helps to reduce muscle spasms and tightness.
- • Low thyroid levels (hypothyroidism)
- • High thyroid levels (hyperthyroidism)
- • Heart failure
- • Irregular heartbeats
- • Problems with the heart's natural pacemaker (SA node dysfunction)
- • Dry mouth
- • Sleepiness
- • Weakness
- • Dizziness
- Difficulty breathing 1,158
- Weakness 975
- Tiredness 893
- Feeling sick to your stomach 605
- Coughing 597
- Tiredness 1,693
- Aches 1,615
- Feeling sick to your stomach 1,530
- Falling down 1,318
- Head pain 1,289
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.
Tizanidine can cause low blood pressure, liver problems, and hallucinations. It can also make you very sleepy, especially if you drink alcohol or take other medicines that cause sleepiness. Your doctor should check your liver function before you start taking tizanidine and one month after you reach your highest dose. Do not stop taking tizanidine suddenly, as this can cause withdrawal symptoms.
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.
Tizanidine may harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if tizanidine passes into breast milk, so talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding.
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How to Read This amiodarone vs tizanidine Comparison
amiodarone is classified in the Class III Antiarrhythmic drug class, while tizanidine sits within the Central Alpha-2 Agonist (Muscle Relaxant) 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 4,228 submissions while tizanidine has 7,445. 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 enzyme responsible for breaking down tizanidine, which may cause the drug to build up in your system.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.
A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between amiodarone and tizanidine - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.
Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.