Sotalol belongs to a group of medicines called beta-blockers. It is used to treat atrial fibrillation and other conditions that cause an irregular heartbeat.

This medicine is only available on prescription. It comes as tablets.

Sotalol can be taken by adults and children over the age of 12 years. It can also be taken by children under the age of 12 on the advice of their specialist.

It isn’t suitable for everyone.

To make sure it is safe for you, tell your doctor before starting sotalol if you have:

• had an allergic reaction to sotalol or any other medicine in the past
• low blood pressure or a slow heart rate
• heart failure which is getting worse, heart disease, or you’ve recently had a heart attack
• any problems with your kidneys
• an overactive thyroid (hyperthyroidism) – sotalol may make it more difficult to recognise the warning signs of having too much thyroid hormone in your body (thyrotoxicosis)
• severe blood circulation problems in your limbs (such as Raynaud’s phenomenon), which may make your fingers and toes tingle or turn pale or blue
• metabolic acidosis – when there is too much acid in your blood
• a lung disease or severe asthma
• severe diarrhoea

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

These common side effects happen in more than 1 in 100 people. They’re usually mild and short-lived.

Talk to your doctor or pharmacist if the side effects bother you or last more than a few days:

• headaches
• feeling tired, dizzy or weak
• cold hands or feet
• feeling or being sick (nausea or vomiting)
• diarrhoea