Medication	Suggested dosage	Cost of generic (brand)*	Comments
Amiodarone (Cordarone)	600 to 1,200 mg per day for one to two weeks, then taper to lowest possible dosage	$29† ($136) for maintenance dosage	Potential adverse effects include abnormal cardiac conduction, anaphylaxis, heart failure, pulmonary toxicity, ocular toxicity, thyroid abnormalities, hypersensitivity reaction, liver failure, lupus, thrombocytopenia, Stevens-Johnson syndrome
	200 mg per day for maintenance dosage
Disopyramide (Norpace)	400 to 800 mg per day in divided doses	$63 ($198)	Potential adverse effects include torsades de pointes, drug-induced lupus, hepatotoxicity, hypoglycemia, heart failure
Dofetilide (Tikosyn)	500 mcg orally every 12 hours at initiation of therapy, titrate downward based on QT response	NA ($234)	Potential adverse effects include prolonged QT interval and various proarrhythmias
			Use is restricted to trained prescribers and facilities
			In-hospital electrocardiographic monitoring required for at least three days
Flecainide (Tambocor)	100 to 150 mg taken at onset of atrial fibrillation	$58 ($146)	Potential adverse effects include various proarrythmias, torsades de pointes
	May also be taken twice per day for prevention of atrial fibrillation		Not recommended for use in patients with chronic atrial fibrillation
Ibutilide (Corvert)	A one-time 1 mg intravenous dosage, may repeat once after 10 minutes if no response	$336 ($452) for 1 mg per 10 mL vial‡	Potential adverse effects include polymorphic ventricular tachycardia, hypotension, headache
			Caution is needed in patients with QT prolongation, hypokalemia, hypomagnesemia, bradycardia
			Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring required for four hours after last dosage
Procainamide	Up to 50 mg per kg per day in divided dosages	$37 (NA) for 500 mg every six hours‡	Potential adverse effects include agranulocytosis, aplastic anemia, coagulation disorder, arrhythmia, hepatotoxicity, drug-induced lupus
Propafenone (Rythmol)	225 to 425 mg orally every 12 hours	$80 ($340)	Potential adverse effects include granulocytosis, angina, chest pain, heart failure, atrioventricular block, bradyarrhythmias, hypotension, palpitations, sinus arrest, drug-induced lupus, bronchospasm
Quinidine	324 to 648 mg; one to two tablets every eight to 12 hours	$60 (NA)	Potential adverse effects include various proarrhythmias, torsades de pointes, hepatoxicity, kidney disease, myelosuppression, drug-induced lupus
Sotalol (Betapace)	80 to 160 mg twice per day	$21† ($249)	Potential adverse effects include torsades de pointes, various proarrhythmias, heart failure, bradycardia, heart block, asthma
			Continuous electrocardiographic monitoring required for three days after initiation of therapy
			Avoid in patients with renal insufficiency