Standard dosage	Initial load of 800–1600 mg/day for 1–3 weeks, followed by 200–600 mg/day
Contraindications	Significant bradycardia, pregnancy or breastfeeding, baseline pulmonary disease, baseline hepatic impairment, baseline thyroid disease
Main drug interactions	Drugs which are metabolized by CYP enzymes including warfarin (amiodarone is a potent inhibitor of CYP enzymes) and drugs which prolong the QT interval
Main side effects	Chronic interstitial pneumonitis, hyper- and hypothyroidism, hepatitis, corneal microdeposits, photosensitivity, skin discoloration, GI upset, QT prolongation and ventricular arrhythmias
Special points	Primarily a Class III agent (potassium channel blocker) but crosses all four classes.
	Considered the most effective AAD.
	Has the least cardiac toxicity but the most extra-cardiac toxicity.
	Generally safe in heart failure, structural heart disease, and coronary artery disease.
	Monitoring recommendations include thyroid function tests every 6 months, liver function tests every 6 months, eye examination yearly, pulmonary function tests/chest x-ray yearly.
Cost/cost-effectiveness	Generic (approximate cost $36 per month). Can be initiated on an outpatient basis.