Nexterone is a pre-mixed, ready to use form of amiodarone. Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic drug used to correct life-threatening heart rhythm disorders including ventricular tachycardia or ventricular fibrillation. The drug works by halting the electrical signals that are causing the additional or irregular heart beats.

Although the drug may be life-saving for patients, it is also associated with serious complicationsand is meant to be used as a last resort.

What Is Nexterone Used For?

Nexterone is only to be administered to patients experiencing life-threatening irregular heart beats. It may be useful in situations where amiodarone must be administered to patients immediately.

When prepared by the manufacturer, this form of amiodarone is less likely to be mixed incorrectly. Nexterone has a shelf life of 24 months, allowing ERs and ICUs to store it for long periods. Generic amiodarone has a shelf-life of just two to 24 hours.

How is Nexterone Administered?

Nexterone, according to emedicinehealth.com, is an injectable form of amiodarone administered to patients through an IV. Often, the medication is delivered through a central line, or directly into a large vein in the chest.

What are the Side Effects of Nexterone?

Amiodarone and Nexterone may cause dangerous complications. Amiodarone toxicity may result in liver failure, lung disease or pulmonary toxicity, blindness, or death. Even if the drug does not cause these life-threatening complications, patients may still experience serious side effects. Serious side effects associated with amiodarone or Nexterone that may require medical attention include:

• Irregular heartbeat
• Fast, slow, or pounding heartbeats
• Feeling light headed or dizzy
• Chest pain
• Wheezing, cough, or trouble breathing
• Blurred vision, vision loss, or eye pain
• Localized swelling, redness, pain, or irritation
• Weight loss
• Increased sweating
• Stomach pain or loss of appetite
• Jaundice
• Nausea or vomiting

Amiodarone may take a long time to clear from your body, even if you have stopped taking the medication. The drug works by building up in your cells. As a result, it may take several months for the medication to completely leave your system. This means that you may continue to experience amiodarone side effects for weeks or months after stopping the medication. Patients who have been treated with amiodarone or Nexterone may want to be alert to symptoms that may develop even if they quit taking the medication.

The results of a study of 930 patients treated with amiodarone for arrhythmia between Jan. 1, 2000, and March 10, 2012, showed a 15 percent incidence of adverse effects during the first year, which increased to a whopping 50 percent when used long-term, according to an article published in the Korean Journal of Internal Medicine. The effects were reversable if the dosage was lowered or the drug was discontinued altogether, according to the study.

If you have suffered from serious side effects associated with the use of Nexterone, you may qualify to hire an experienced attorney and file a lawsuit against the manufacturer. Patients who file lawsuits may be able to recover financial compensation to help cover the costs of medical bills, lost wages, reduced earning abilities, and out of pocket expenses, as well as additional compensation for pain and suffering.