Mexiletine
About Mexiletine
Mexiletine is used to treat life-threatening arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) such as ventricular arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is a condition in which your heart beats irregularly, too fast, or too slow.
Mexiletine contains Mexiletine, which works by reducing the sensitivity of heart muscle cells to electrical impulses. Thus, it slows down electrical conduction in the heart muscle. Therefore, it helps restore regular heart rhythm.
Take Mexiletine as prescribed. You are advised to take Mexiletine for as long as your doctor has recommended it based on your medical condition. In some cases, Mexiletine may cause common side effects such as stomach pain, insomnia (difficulty sleeping), dyspepsia (indigestion), dizziness, tremors (involuntary shaking), chest discomfort or headache. Most of these side effects of Mexiletine do not require medical attention and gradually resolve over time. However, if the side effects persist, please consult your doctor.
If you are allergic to Mexiletine, local anaesthetics, or other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is advised to inform your doctor before taking Mexiletine. Mexiletine is not recommended for children and adolescents below 18 years of age. Avoid alcohol consumption with Mexiletine as it may worsen dizziness or drowsiness. Mexiletine may cause dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision in some people. Therefore, drive only if you are alert after taking Mexiletine.
Uses of Mexiletine
Medicinal Benefits
Mexiletine contains Mexiletine, which is used to treat life-threatening arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) such as ventricular arrhythmia. It decreases the sensitivity of heart muscle cells to electrical impulses. Thus, it slows down electrical conduction in the heart muscle. Thereby, it helps restore regular heart rhythm.
Directions for Use
Storage
Side Effects of Mexiletine
- Stomach pain
- Insomnia (difficulty sleeping)
- Dyspepsia (indigestion)
- Dizziness
- Tremor (involuntary shaking)
- Chest discomfort
- Headache
Drug Warnings
If you are allergic to Mexiletine, any local anaesthetics or any other medicines, please tell your doctor. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, it is advised to inform your doctor before taking Mexiletine. Mexiletine is not recommended for children and adolescents below 18 years of age. Avoid intake of alcohol with Mexiletine as it may worsen dizziness or drowsiness. Mexiletine may cause dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision in some people. Therefore, drive only if you are alert after taking Mexiletine. Inform your doctor if you have a genetic problem with an enzyme in your body called CYP2D6 which breaks down (metabolizes) certain medicines in your body too slowly, because a different dose may be applicable to you. If you start to smoke or quit smoking while taking Mexiletine, inform your doctor as smoking impacts the Mexiletine blood levels, and your dose may need to be adjusted accordingly.
Drug Interactions
Drug-Drug Interaction: Inform your doctor if you are taking medicines used to treat heart problems (amiodarone, verapamil, propranolol), anticonvulsants (phenytoin), antidepressants (fluvoxamine), a medicine used to treat stomach ulcer and gastric acid reflux (omeprazole), opioid analgesics (morphine), antacids, anticholinergic agent (atropine), anti-asthma drug (theophylline), a medicine used to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting (metoclopramide), caffeine-containing medications, antibiotics (ciprofloxacin, rifampicin), antidiabetic drug (metformin), blood thinner medicines (warfarin), or muscle relaxant (tizanidine).
Drug-Food Interaction: You are recommended to reduce caffeine intake by half while taking Mexiletine as it can increase caffeine levels in the blood. Also, limit or avoid alcohol intake while taking Mexiletine as it may worsen dizziness and drowsiness.
Drug-Disease Interaction: Avoid taking Mexiletine if you have sinus syndrome (a type of heart rhythm disorder), long QT syndrome (an inherited heart condition), or heart problems which can cause ankle swelling or shortness of breath or some types of heart rhythm disorders. If you have low or high electrolyte blood levels, abnormal blood counts, seizures (fits), kidney, liver, or heart problems, please inform your doctor before taking Mexiletine.
Drug-Drug Interactions Checker List:
Safety Advice
Alcohol
unsafeYou are recommended to avoid consumption of alcohol while taking Mexiletine as it may worsen dizziness or drowsiness.
Pregnancy
consult your doctorLimited data are available on the effect of Mexiletine in pregnancy. Hence, if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, inform your doctor before taking Mexiletine. Your doctor may prescribe this medicine if the benefits outweigh the risks.
Breast Feeding
cautionIf you are breastfeeding, please inform your doctor before taking Mexiletine. Mexiletine may be excreted in breast milk. Therefore, if your doctor prescribes Mexiletine, you will be advised to choose an alternate method of feeding your baby.
Driving
cautionMexiletine may cause dizziness, drowsiness or blurred vision in some people. Therefore, avoid driving if you experience such side effects after taking Mexiletine.
Liver
cautionMexiletine should be used with caution in patients with mild to moderate liver dysfunction and is not recommended for patients with severe liver disease. Therefore, inform your doctor if you have any liver problems before taking Mexiletine.
Kidney
cautionMexiletine is not recommended for patients with severe kidney disease. Therefore, inform your doctor if you have any kidney disease before taking Mexiletine.
Children
unsafeMexiletine is not recommended for children and adolescents below 18 years of age.
Habit Forming
Diet & Lifestyle Advise
- Maintain a low-salt diet and minimize eating processed foods as they contain more sodium. Try to replace salt with spices or herbs to add flavour to the food.
- Do regular exercise as it helps lower blood pressure and keeps blood vessels and the heart in good condition.
- Quit smoking as smoking increases blood pressure and heart rate.
- Eat a balanced and healthy diet that includes plenty of vegetables, fruits, and low-fat or fat-free products.
Patients Concern
Disease/Condition Glossary
Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat): It is a condition in which your heart beats irregularly, too fast, or too slow. Symptoms of irregular heartbeat include chest pain, shortness of breath, and fast or slow heartbeat. 60 to 100 beats per minute is generally considered a normal heart rate.
Ventricular arrhythmia: It is a type of arrhythmia which begins in the ventricles (lower chambers of the heart). It causes irregular heartbeat and prevents circulation of oxygen-rich blood to the brain and body, and may result in cardiac arrest. This condition may be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention.
FAQs
Mexiletine is used to treat life-threatening arrhythmias (irregular heartbeats) such as ventricular arrhythmia. Arrhythmia is a condition in which your heart beats irregularly, too fast, or too slow.
Mexiletine contains Mexiletine which works by blocking certain electrical signals in the heart. Thereby, it helps to stabilize the heart rhythm.
Mexiletine may cause blurred or double vision in some people. Therefore, drive only if your vision is clear after taking Mexiletine.
If you take more than the recommended dose of Mexiletine, it may be very harmful to your health. Therefore, you are advised to take Mexiletine in the dose and for the duration prescribed by your doctor. However, if you have irregular heartbeats (faster or slower), low blood pressure, nausea, fits, or hallucinations, contact your doctor immediately.
The side effects of Mexiletine include dizziness, headache, stomach pain, chest discomfort, insomnia (difficulty sleeping) and tremor. If these side effects persist or worsen, please consult your doctor.
No, Mexiletine is not a beta blocker. It is a sodium channel blocker and belongs to the class of medicines called antiarrhythmics. It blocks the fast sodium channels in heart, and thus, helps in treating ventricular arrhythmia (abnormal electrical activity). It blocks specific electrical signals in the heart and stabilizes the heart rhythm.
Mexiletine may lower heart rate. Also, it may also cause irregular heartbeats, palpitations, decrease in blood pressure and atrial fibrillation (abnormal heart rhythm). Thus, you will be hospitalized probably when you start using Mexiletine. Your doctor will monitor you carefully during this time and for as long as you continue to take Mexiletine.
Yes, Mexiletine may cause liver damage. This may occur within a few weeks after starting Mexiletine and is more likely to happen in patients with heart failure. Patients with impaired liver function are monitored carefully. Also, in patients with liver problems, Mexiletine stays for more time in body. Inform your doctor if you notice symptoms such as dark or tea-colored urine, fatigue (overtiredness), loss of appetite for several days or longer, or pain and tenderness on the right side of the abdomen. If your skin or the white part of your eyes turn yellow (jaundice), consult your doctor immediately.
You are recommended not to stop taking Mexiletine suddenly without consulting your doctor as it may cause arrhythmias to recur which could be harmful for you. It is advised to stop Mexiletine gradually over 1-2 weeks. The treatment duration differs from person to person and though no exact guide is available, withdrawal of Mexiletine should be attempted after a suitable arrhythmia-free period.
Yes, Mexiletine should be taken with food or antacids to avoid stomach upset. Take it at the same time every day. Also, drink enough water while sitting in an upright position.
