Common questions about sotalol

Sotalol is a type of medicine called a beta blocker.

Like other beta blockers, sotalol works by changing the way your body responds to some nerve impulses, especially in the heart. It slows down your heart rate and makes it easier for your heart to pump blood around your body.

Sotalol starts to work after about 4 hours, but it can take 2 to 3 days to work fully.

Sotalol is generally safe to take for a long time. In fact, it works best when you take it for a long time.

Talk to your doctor if you want to stop taking sotalol.

Stopping sotalol suddenly can make your condition worse.

If you're bothered by side effects, your doctor may be able to prescribe a different medicine for your heart problems.

If you stop taking sotalol, it will take about 4 days for it to be completely out of your body.

You'll have regular blood tests to check that your kidneys are healthy. This is because kidneys remove sotalol from the body, so it's important they work properly.

Your blood test may also check that you have the right amounts of potassium and magnesium in your blood. If there's too little of these in your blood it can cause side effects.

Sotalol is not considered as a typical beta blocker. This is because it is not generally used to treat high blood pressure and is mainly used for irregular heartbeats. Sotalol is classed as a potassium blocker.

There are 4 main types of medicines for treating irregular heartbeats:

• sodium channel blockers like flecainide
• beta blockers like propranolol and atenolol
• potassium blockers like sotalol and amiodarone
• calcium channel blockers like verapamil

They all work a little bit differently to help regulate your heartbeat, and the side effects can also be different. Sometimes you may have to try other medicines for an irregular heartbeat if you get side effects.

Tell your doctor that you're taking sotalol if you're going to be put to sleep (using general anaesthetic), or you're having any kind of major operation.

Your doctor may advise you to stop taking sotalol before surgery. This is because sotalol can lower your blood pressure too much when it's combined with some anaesthetics.

Some people taking sotalol say their sex drive goes down or they cannot get an erection. However, this is not a common side effect and there is not enough evidence to say for sure that sotalol is causing it.

If you're having problems with your sex life, talk to your doctor.

You do not need to stop playing sports if you take sotalol. But ask your doctor for advice if you're concerned.

Regular exercise is good for you because it lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition. Be aware, though, that in some sports sotalol is not allowed if you're competing at a high level.

Sotalol will not stop any type of contraception from working.

However, if sotalol makes you sick (vomit) or you have severe watery diarrhoea, or any diarrhoea that lasts for more than 24 hours, your contraceptive pills may not protect you from pregnancy. Look on the pill packet to find out what to do.

Find out more:

• What to do if you're sick or have diarrhoea when taking the combined pill
• What to do if you're sick or have diarrhoea when taking the progestogen-only pill

Some types of hormonal methods of contraception, like the combined pill and contraceptive patch, are sometimes not recommended if you have heart problems. Talk to your doctor if you're taking or using combined hormonal contraception.

Sotalol can make some people feel dizzy, especially when they first start taking it or after taking a bigger dose. If this happens to you, do not drive a car, ride a bike, or use tools or machinery until you feel better.

Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of side effects with sotalol. It can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded.

During the first few days of taking sotalol or after an increase in your dose, it's best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine affects you.

If you find sotalol makes you feel dizzy it's best to stop drinking alcohol.

You can eat and drink normally while taking sotalol.

Eating a healthy, balanced diet can help if you have a heart condition.

You can boost the health of your heart by making some key lifestyle changes:

• Quit smoking – smoking increases your heart rate and blood pressure. Quitting smoking brings down your blood pressure and relieves heart failure symptoms. Try to avoid secondhand smoke.
• Cut down on alcohol – drinking too much alcohol raises blood pressure over time. It makes heart failure worse too. Try to keep to the recommended guidelines of no more than 14 units of alcohol a week, spread across 3 or more days.
• Exercise – regular exercise lowers blood pressure by keeping your heart and blood vessels in good condition. It does not need to be too energetic, walking every day will help.
• Eat well – aim to eat a diet that includes plenty of fruit and vegetables, wholegrains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products and lean proteins. It's a good idea to limit the amount of salt in your diet too. Eating too much salt is the biggest cause of high blood pressure. The more salt you eat, the higher your blood pressure will be. Aim for no more than 6g of salt a day.
• Manage stress – when you're anxious or upset, your heart beats faster, you breathe more heavily and your blood pressure often goes up. This can make heart failure worse too. Find ways to reduce stress in your life. To give your heart a rest, try napping or putting your feet up when possible. Spend time with friends and family to be social and help avoid stress.