Side Effects Of Sotalol

Like all medicines, sotalol can cause side effects in some people, but many people have no side effects or only minor ones. Side effects often improve as your body gets used to the medicine.

Common side effects of sotalol

These common side effects of sotalol happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They're usually mild and do not last long. There are things you can do to help cope with them:

Speak to a doctor or pharmacist if the advice on how to cope does not help and a side effect is still bothering you or does not go away.

Serious side effects

It happens rarely, but some people have serious side effects when taking sotalol.

Call 111 or call your doctor now if:

• you get nosebleeds, unexplained bruising, or you bruise more easily than usual - these can be signs of low numbers of platelets in your blood (thrombocytopenia)
• you have shortness of breath with a cough which gets worse when you exercise (like walking upstairs), swollen ankles or legs, or an irregular heartbeat - these can be signs of heart problems

Call 999 or go to A&E if:

Serious allergic reaction

In rare cases, sotalol may cause a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Call 999 now if:

• your lips, mouth, throat or tongue suddenly become swollen
• you're breathing very fast or struggling to breathe (you may become very wheezy or feel like you're choking or gasping for air)
• your throat feels tight or you're struggling to swallow
• your skin, tongue or lips turn blue, grey or pale (if you have black or brown skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of your hands or soles of your feet)
• you suddenly become very confused, drowsy or dizzy
• someone faints and cannot be woken up
• a child is limp, floppy or not responding like they normally do (their head may fall to the side, backwards or forwards, or they may find it difficult to lift their head or focus on your face)

You or the person who's unwell may also have a rash that's swollen, raised, itchy, blistered or peeling.

These can be signs of a serious allergic reaction and may need immediate treatment in hospital.

Other side effects

These are not all the side effects of sotalol. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.

Reporting side effects

You can report any suspected side effect using the Yellow Card safety scheme.

Visit the Yellow Card website for more information about reporting side effects.

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