Mexiletine
About Mexiletine
Mexiletine is an oral prescription medicine used to treat serious, life-threatening irregular heartbeats, specifically ventricular arrhythmias. Its primary medical purpose is to help stabilise your heart's rhythm, so it beats normally and pumps blood efficiently. By regulating these electrical signals, it helps prevent dangerous cardiac events.
To get the best results, you must take this medicine consistently at the exact times prescribed by your doctor. It is typically taken with food, milk, or an antacid to help prevent stomach upset and promote smooth digestion. Alongside taking your medicine, your doctor may suggest heart-healthy dietary changes to support your cardiovascular system.
While taking Mexiletine, you might experience mild side effects like heartburn, nausea, or mild dizziness. However, if you experience serious symptoms such as severe chest pain, a worsening irregular heartbeat, or signs of liver damage, you must contact your doctor immediately. Regular monitoring of your health is a key part of your treatment plan.
Before starting this treatment, tell your healthcare provider if you have any pre-existing health conditions. Do not take this if you have certain severe heart conditions, such as cardiogenic shock or specific types of heart block, unless you have a working pacemaker. Your doctor will evaluate your heart health to ensure this medicine is safe for you.
This medicine can interact with other substances, including other heart medications, caffeine, and tobacco smoke. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or an older adult, discuss the potential risks and benefits of taking Mexiletine with your doctor. Always keep a complete list of everything you take and share it with your healthcare team.
Uses of Mexiletine
Medicinal Benefits
Mexiletine helps maintain a steady and regular heart rhythm, improving heart function and reducing symptoms associated with abnormal heartbeats. With regular use as prescribed, it supports cardiovascular health and helps you carry out your daily activities with greater confidence.
- Maintains a Regular Heart Rhythm: By helping stabilise the heart's electrical activity, this medicine helps prevent abnormal heart rhythms and supports efficient heart function.
- Reduces Symptoms of Irregular Heartbeats: This medicine helps reduce palpitations, lightheadedness, dizziness, and other symptoms associated with heart rhythm disorders, improving daily comfort.
- Supports Better Quality of Life: By promoting a stable heart rhythm, this medicine helps reduce physical stress on the heart, improves confidence during everyday activities, and supports long-term cardiovascular health.
Directions for Use
- Mexiletine can be taken with food to prevent stomach upset or as advised by the doctor.
- Follow your doctor’s instructions on the dosage and timing of this medication to ensure safety.
- Swallow Mexiletine as a whole with a glass of water.
- Do not chew, crush, or break it.
Storage
Side Effects of Mexiletine
Common Side Effects (Usually mild):
- Nausea or vomiting
- Heartburn or acid reflux
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Trembling or shaking in the hands
Serious Side Effects (Consult a doctor right away):
- Chest pain or a feeling of a racing, pounding heart
- Signs of liver damage, such as yellowing of your eyes or skin, dark urine, or severe upper stomach pain
- Signs of a severe allergic reaction, including skin rash, hives, swelling of the face or throat, and difficulty breathing
- Unusual bruising or bleeding
Medicines Containing this Salt
View AllDrug Warnings
- Attend all follow-up appointments: Your doctor will need to monitor your heart's electrical activity regularly with electrocardiograms (ECGs) and perform routine blood tests to check your liver function.
- Stand up slowly: This medicine can cause dizziness, especially when rising from a sitting or lying position. Get up slowly to prevent falls.
- Report new symptoms immediately: If you notice your irregular heartbeat getting worse, or if you feel new chest discomfort, contact your doctor right away.
- Inform other healthcare providers: Always tell any doctor, dentist, or pharmacist you visit that you are taking Mexiletine, especially before undergoing any surgical procedures.
- Do not stop abruptly: Stopping this medicine suddenly can cause your abnormal heart rhythms to return. Always consult your doctor before making any changes.
Drug Interactions
- Other heart rhythm medicines: Taking this with other antiarrhythmic drugs may increase the risk of side effects or further disrupt your heart rhythm.
- Liver enzyme-altering drugs: Medications like rifampin or cimetidine can change how your body processes Mexiletine, potentially making it less effective or raising its levels to unsafe amounts.
- Urinary acidifiers or alkalinisers: Medicines that significantly change the acidity of your urine can alter how your kidneys eliminate this drug.
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.
Breast Feeding
consult your doctorIf 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
unsafeMexiletine 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
unsafeMexiletine 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
- Limit caffeine intake: Mexiletine slows down how your body processes caffeine. Consuming coffee, tea, energy drinks, or chocolate can cause caffeine to build up in your system, leading to nervousness, insomnia, or a rapid heart rate.
- Maintain a consistent sodium diet: Sudden changes in the amount of salt you eat can affect how your kidneys clear this medicine from your body. Avoid starting a strict low-sodium diet or suddenly increasing your salt intake without discussing it with your doctor.
- Avoid smoking: Tobacco smoke can speed up how quickly your body eliminates this medicine, making it less effective. If you start or stop smoking while taking Mexiletine, tell your doctor immediately, as your dose may need to be adjusted.
- Stay hydrated: Drink an adequate amount of water daily unless your doctor has advised you to restrict fluids due to a heart condition.
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.
Do not stop taking Mexiletine suddenly, even if you feel better, unless your doctor tells you to. Stopping it abruptly may cause your irregular heartbeats to return or worsen. If treatment needs to be stopped, your doctor will usually reduce the dose gradually over 1–2 weeks. The duration of treatment varies depending on your condition, and any decision to stop should be made only after your doctor determines it is safe.
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.
It is best to limit your caffeine intake because Mexiletine slows down how your body processes caffeine. This can lead to increased side effects like jitteriness, a racing heart, or trouble sleeping. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist for guidance on safe limits.
Taking Mexiletine with food, milk, or a doctor-approved antacid can help reduce heartburn and stomach upset. If the heartburn persists or becomes severe, talk to your doctor.
Yes, dizziness is a common side effect of Mexiletine. To manage this safely, try to stand up slowly from a sitting or lying position, and avoid driving or operating machinery if you feel unsteady. Talk to your doctor if the dizziness is severe.
It is recommended to avoid or strictly limit alcohol while taking this medicine. Alcohol can increase the risk of dizziness and may interact with how your body manages your heart rhythm. Talk to your doctor for personalised advice.
Tobacco smoke speeds up how quickly your body clears Mexiletine from your system, which can make the medicine less effective. If you start, stop, or change your smoking habits, talk to your doctor immediately so they can adjust your dose if needed.
This medicine should only be used during pregnancy if the potential benefit justifies the potential risk to the unborn baby. If you are pregnant, planning to become pregnant, or breastfeeding, talk to your doctor.
Your doctor will likely order regular electrocardiograms (ECGs) to monitor your heart's rhythm and blood tests to check your liver function and blood counts. Talk to your doctor to understand your monitoring schedule.
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