Multaq (dronedarone) is a relatively new drug in the class of medications known as antiarrthymics, which are intended to correct heart irregularities and cause the heart to beat normally. Specifically, Multaq is used to treat atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter in some patients who have experienced either condition within the previous six months.
Atrial fibrillation is a heart rhythm condition characterized by rapid and irregular heartbeats, while atrial flutter is a disorder that may cause the heart to beat abnormally fast.
Multaq is manufactured by the French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-aventis, with a U.S. subsidiary based in New Jersey. The drug was approved by the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in July 2009. Since then, about 150,000 patients in the United States have been prescribed Multaq.
An older drug for fibrillation control, Cordarone (generic Amiodarone), has serious side effects, and this was the impetus for the development of Multaq. According the Los Angeles Times, in a study comparing the efficacy and safety of the two drugs, it was determined that Multaq was only half as effective as Amiodarone in the prevention of hospitalizations and deaths, and Multaq is considerably more expensive. As a result, some medical experts contend that Multaq should not be first-line therapy as a matter of routine.
Since its approval, the FDA has received reports of liver damage associated with the use of Multaq, including those of two women who required liver transplants.
As a result, additional warnings were added to Multaq labels notifying health care professionals and consumers of the potential risks of serious liver damage. |
