SOTYLIZE (Page 3 of 7)
6.2 Postmarketing Experience
The following adverse reactions have been identified during post-approval use of sotalol. Because these reactions are reported voluntarily from a population of uncertain size, it is not always possible to estimate reliably their frequency or establish a causal relationship to drug exposure.
Postmarketing experience with sotalol shows an adverse event profile similar to that described above from clinical trials. Voluntary reports since introduction include rare reports (less than one report per 10,000 patients) of: emotional liability, slightly clouded sensorium, incoordination, vertigo, paralysis, thrombocytopenia, eosinophilia, leukopenia, photosensitivity reaction, fever, pulmonary edema, hyperlipidemia, myalgia, pruritus, alopecia.
7 DRUG INTERACTIONS
7.1 Digoxin
Proarrhythmic events were more common in sotalol treated patients also receiving digoxin; it is not clear whether this represents an interaction or is related to the presence of heart failure, a known risk factor for proarrhythmia, in the patients receiving digoxin.
7.2 Calcium-Blocking Drugs
Sotalol and calcium blocking drugs can be expected to have additive effects on atrioventricular conduction, ventricular function, and blood pressure.
7.3 Catecholamine-Depleting Agents
Concomitant use of catecholamine-depleting drugs, such as reserpine and guanethidine, with a beta-blocker may produce an excessive reduction of resting sympathetic nervous tone. Monitor such patients for hypotension and marked bradycardia which may produce syncope.
7.4 Insulin and Oral Antidiabetic Agents
Hyperglycemia may occur, and the dosage of insulin or antidiabetic drugs may require adjustment. Symptoms of hypoglycemia may be masked.
7.5 Beta-2-Receptor Stimulants
Beta-agonists such as albuterol, terbutaline and isoproterenol may have to be administered in increased dosages when used concomitantly with sotalol.
7.6 Clonidine
Beta-blocking drugs may potentiate the rebound hypertension sometimes observed after discontinuation of clonidine.
7.7 Drugs that Prolong QT Interval and Antiarrhythmic Agents
Sotalol has not been studied with other drugs that prolong the QT interval such as antiarrhythmics, some phenothiazines, tricyclic antidepressants, certain oral macrolides and certain quinolone antibiotics. Class I or Class III antiarrhythmic agents should be withheld for at least three half-lives prior to dosing with sotalol. In clinical trials, sotalol was not administered to patients previously treated with oral amiodarone for >1 month in the previous three months. Class Ia antiarrhythmic drugs such as disopyramide, quinidine and procainamide and other Class III drugs (e.g., amiodarone) are not recommended as concomitant therapy with sotalol because of their potential to prolong refractoriness [see Warnings and Precautions (5.1)]. There is only limited experience with the concomitant use of Class Ib or Ic antiarrhythmics.
7.8 Antacids
Administration of oral sotalol within 2 hours of antacids containing aluminum oxide and magnesium hydroxide should be avoided because it may result in a reduction in Cmax and AUC of 26% and 20%, respectively, and consequently in a 25% reduction in the bradycardic effect at rest. Administration of the antacid two hours after oral sotalol has no effect on the pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics of sotalol.
8 USE IN SPECIFIC POPULATIONS
8.1 Pregnancy
Pregnancy Category B
There are no adequate and well-controlled studies in pregnant women. Sotalol crosses the placenta. In animal studies there was no increase in congenital anomalies, but an increase in early resorptions occurred at sotalol doses 18 times the maximum recommended human dose (MRHD, based on body surface area). Animal reproduction studies are not always predictive of human response.
Reproduction studies in rats and rabbits during organogenesis at sotalol doses 9 and 7 times the MRHD (based on body surface area), respectively, did not reveal any increase in congenital abnormalities. In rabbits, a sotalol dose 6 times the MRHD produced a slight increase in fetal death, but this was associated with maternal toxicity. This effect did not occur at a sotalol dose 3 times the MRHD. In rats, a sotalol dose 18 times the MRHD increased the number of early resorptions, while a dose of 2.5 times the MRHD produced no increase in early resorptions.
8.3 Nursing Mothers
Sotalol is excreted in the milk of laboratory animals and has been reported to be present in human milk. Discontinue nursing or SOTYLIZE.
8.4 Pediatric Use
The safety and effectiveness of sotalol in children have not been established. However, the Class III electrophysiologic and beta-blocking effects, the pharmacokinetics, and the relationship between the effects (QTc interval and resting heart rate) and drug concentrations have been evaluated in children aged between 3 days and 12 years old [see Dosage and Administration (2.2) and Clinical Pharmacology (12)].
8.5 Geriatric Use
Impaired renal function in geriatric patients can increase the terminal elimination half-life, resulting in increased drug accumulation [see Clinical Pharmacology (12.3)].
8.6 Patients with Renal Impairment
Sotalol is eliminated principally via the kidneys through glomerular filtration and to a small degree by tubular secretion. There is a direct relationship between renal function, as measured by serum creatinine or creatinine clearance, and the elimination rate of sotalol [see Dosage and Administration (2)]. The dosing interval (time between divided doses) of sotalol should be modified when creatinine clearance is lower than 60 mL/min [see Dosage and Administration (2.4)]. Sotalol is contraindicated when creatinine clearance is less than 40 mL/min [see Contraindications (4)].
10 OVERDOSAGE
Intentional or accidental overdosage with sotalol has resulted in death.
Symptoms and Treatment of Overdosage:
The most common signs to be expected are bradycardia, congestive heart failure, hypotension, bronchospasm and hypoglycemia. In cases of massive intentional overdosage (2-16 grams) of sotalol the following clinical findings were seen: hypotension, bradycardia, cardiac asystole, prolongation of QT interval, Torsade de Pointes, ventricular tachycardia, and premature ventricular complexes. If overdosage occurs, therapy with sotalol should be discontinued and the patient observed closely. Because of the lack of protein binding, hemodialysis is useful for reducing sotalol plasma concentrations. Patients should be carefully observed until QT intervals are normalized and the heart rate returns to levels >50 bpm. The occurrence of hypotension following an overdose may be associated with an initial slow drug elimination phase (half-life of 30 hours) thought to be due to a temporary reduction of renal function caused by the hypotension. In addition, if required, the following therapeutic measures are suggested:
Bradycardia or Cardiac Asystole: Atropine, another anticholinergic drug, a beta-adrenergic agonist or transvenous cardiac pacing.
Heart Block: (second and third degree) transvenous cardiac pacemaker.
Hypotension: (depending on associated factors) epinephrine rather than isoproterenol or norepinephrine may be useful.
Bronchospasm: Aminophylline or aerosol beta-2-receptor stimulant.
Torsade de Pointes: DC cardioversion, magnesium sulfate, potassium replacement. Once Torsade de Pointes is terminated, transvenous cardiac pacing or an isoproterenol infusion to increase heart rate can be employed.
11 DESCRIPTION
SOTYLIZE is an aqueous solution containing sotalol hydrochloride.
Sotalol hydrochloride is a white, crystalline solid with a molecular weight of 308.8. It is hydrophilic, soluble in water, propylene glycol and ethanol, but is only slightly soluble in chloroform. Chemically, sotalol hydrochloride is d,l-N -[4-[1-hydroxy-2-[(1-methylethyl) amino]ethyl]phenyl]methane-sulfonamide monohydrochloride. The molecular formula is C12 H20 N2 O3 S HCl and is represented by the following structural formula:
SOTYLIZE is a grape-flavored aqueous solution. Each mL contains 5 mg sotalol HCl. Inactive ingredients are sodium citrate, citric acid, sucralose, sodium benzoate and purified water.
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