2. What should I know before I use CARDOL?
Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to [medicine] or any of the ingredients
listed at the end of the CMI.
Talk to your doctor if you have any other medical conditions, take any other medicines,
or are pregnant or plan to become pregnant or are breastfeeding.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Some medicines may interfere with CARDOL and affect how it works.
4. How do I use CARDOL?
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully.
The usual dose is 80 mg to 160 mg twice a day. Your doctor may need to increase this
as a very few patients may need up to three to four 160 mg tablets spread over a day.
The dosage may need to be different if you have a kidney problem.
You should take your tablets with water one to two hours before meals. Do not take
CARDOL with milk or meals.
5. What should I know while using CARDOL?
|
Things you should do
|
Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using CARDOL.
Tell your doctor if you become pregnant while taking CARDOL.
|
|
Things you should not do
|
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as
you.
Do not take CARDOL to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
|
|
Driving or using machines
|
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how CARDOL affects you.
|
|
Looking after your medicine
|
Keep your medicine in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Protect
from moisture. Protect from light.
Do not store your medicine, or any other medicine, in the bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave it on a window sill or in the car.
|
6. Are there any side effects?
There are a number of side effects associated with CARDOL. It is important to be aware
of them so that you can identify any symptoms if they occur.
Active ingredient(s):
sotalol hydrochloride
Full Consumer Medicine Information (CMI)
This leaflet provides important information about using CARDOL. You should also speak to your doctor or pharmacist if you would like further information
or if you have any concerns or questions about using CARDOL.
Where to find information in this leaflet:
1. Why am I using CARDOL?
CARDOL contains the active ingredient sotalol hydrochloride which belongs to the family of drugs known as beta-blockers.
CARDOL is used to treat “arrhythmias”, which is a problem when the heart beats too
quickly or with the wrong rhythm.
CARDOL slows down and steadies the heartbeat, reducing the effort the heart has to
put into pumping blood.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why CARDOL has been prescribed for
you.
Your doctor may have prescribed it for another reason.
There is no evidence that this medicine is addictive.
CARDOL is only available with a doctors prescription
2. What should I know before I use CARDOL?
Warnings
Do not use CARDOL if:
you are allergic to sotalol hydrochloride,
other beta-blockers,
or any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet. Always check the ingredients
to make sure you can use this medicine.
Some of the symptoms of an allergic reaction may include:
shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
skin rash, itching or hives,
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or any part of the body.
Do not take CARDOL if you have asthma.
You should not take this medicine if you have allergies, or problems with your kidneys
or thyroid gland, unless you have discussed it with your doctor.
Check with your doctor if you:
have any problems with your heart or circulation or amount of magnesium in your blood
You should not take CARDOL with any other medicines your doctor does not know about,
particularly if they are to control high blood pressure, heart conditions, depression,
hayfever, allergies, infections or diabetes.
Talk to your doctor if you are unsure whether you should start taking this medicine.
Before you start to take it
Make sure your doctor knows what other medicines you are already taking including
ones you have bought yourself at the chemist or supermarket.
In particular remind your doctor if you have asthma, bronchitis or any allergies such
as hayfever, food allergies or are allergic to bee or wasp stings.
Make sure your doctor is aware of any kind of heart disease, diabetes, phaeochromocytoma,
kidney disease or thyroid disease that you have or have had, or if you have been told
that your pulse is slow or irregular.
Tell your doctor if you have ever had trouble with the levels of salts like potassium
or magnesium in your blood.
Remind your doctor if you are going to have surgery involving a general anaesthetic
even if it is only minor.
Tell your doctor if you have been given CARDOL (or any other beta-blocker) before
and if you had any problems.
Remind your doctor if you have hardening of the arteries (cold fingers and toes or
pain in the back of your legs when you walk).
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant, if you are planning to become pregnant, or if
you are breast feeding.
During treatment, you may be at risk of developing certain side effects. It is important
you understand these risks and how to monitor for them. See additional information
under Section
6. Are there any side effects?
Pregnancy and breastfeeding
You should not take this medicine if you are pregnant or are breast feeding, or if
you intend to breast feed.
Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed.
3. What if I am taking other medicines?
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any
medicines, vitamins or supplements that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy,
supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines can affect the way CARDOL works.
You should always tell your doctor about any other medicines you take, even those
bought without a doctor’s prescription.
It is especially important that you tell your doctor if you are taking the following:
medicines which lower blood pressure (including other beta-blockers)
floctafenine (medicine used for the short term treatment of mild to moderate pain)
for the treatment of certain infections (e.g. erythromycin IV, amphotericin B, pentamidine,
halofantrine)
steroids
laxatives
clonidine (sometimes used to treat hot flushes or headaches)
any other medicines used to treat irregular heart rhythm or beat
digoxin, a medicine used for heart failure
medicines used to treat angina or other heart conditions
antidepressants (medicines used to treat depression)
insulin or other drugs used to control diabetes
medicines used to control or prevent asthma (inhalers or tablets) or to control allergies
or which are used for other lung problems
antihistamine medicine including terfenadine and astemizole that may be used to treat
hayfever, allergies or to relive symptoms of cold and flu
quinolone antibiotics (medicines used to treat infections)
diuretics (water tablets)
neuromuscular blocking agents like tubocurarine
some medicine used during surgery or emergency situations, such as anaesthetics
Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you are not sure about what medicines, vitamins
or supplements you are taking and if these affect CARDOL.
4. How do I use CARDOL?
How much to take
Your doctor will decide on the dose of CARDOL tablets for you, and may need to change
the dose a few times to get the best level for you.
The usual dose is 80mg to 160mg twice a day. Your doctor may need to increase this
as a very few patients may need up to three to four 160mg tablets spread over a day.
The dosage may need to be different if you have a kidney problem.
How to take CARDOL
You should take your tablets with water one to two hours before meals. Do not take
CARDOL with milk or meals.
How long to take CARDOL
If you have been prescribed CARDOL you must be sure to follow your doctors instructions
carefully.
Do not stop taking CARDOL tablets suddenly.
The dose needs to be reduced gradually over 7 to 14 days.
If you forget to use CARDOL
It is important not to miss a dose but if you do, take your next dose at the normal
time and with the normal amount.
If you use too much CARDOL
If you think that you have used too much CARDOL, you may need urgent medical attention.
You should immediately:
phone the Poisons Information Centre
(by calling 13 11 26) for advice, or
contact your doctor, or
go to the Emergency Department at your nearest hospital.
You should do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning.
Too much of this medicine will cause your blood pressure and heart rate to drop to
dangerous levels. Serious heart problems may develop and this could be fatal.
5. What should I know while using CARDOL?
Things you should do
Call your doctor straight away if you:
If you become pregnant while taking CARDOL. You doctor can discuss with the risks
of taking it while you are pregnant.
If you are about to be started on any new medicine, remind your doctor or pharmacist
that you are taking CARDOL.
Remind any doctor, dentist or pharmacist you visit that you are using CARDOL.
Things you should not do
Do not give your medicine to anyone else, even if they have the same condition as
you.
Do not take CARDOL to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not let yourself run out of tablets over weekends or on holidays.
Driving or using machines
Be careful before you drive or use any machines or tools until you know how CARDOL
affects you.
As with other medicines it may cause dizziness, light-headedness or drowsiness in
some people. If this occurs do not drive or operate machinery or undertake any other
activity that could be dangerous if you are dizzy, light-headed or drowsy.
Looking after your medicine
Keep your tablets in the original packaging they are provided in until it is time
to take them. If you take the tablets out of the blister they will not keep well.
Keep your medicine in a cool dry place where the temperature stays below 25°C. Protect
from moisture. Protect from light.
Store it in a cool dry place away from moisture, heat or sunlight; for example, do
not store it:
in the bathroom or near a sink, or
in the car or on window sills.
Keep it where young children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half meters above the ground is a good place
to store medicines.
Getting rid of any unwanted medicine
If you no longer need to use this medicine or it is out of date, take it to any pharmacy
for safe disposal.
Do not use this medicine after the expiry date.
6. Are there any side effects?
All medicines can have side effects. If you do experience any side effects, most of
them are minor and temporary. However, some side effects may need medical attention.
See the information below and, if you need to, ask your doctor or pharmacist if you
have any further questions about side effects.
Less serious/Common side effects
Serious/Rare side effects
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you notice anything else that may be making you
feel unwell.
CARDOL helps most people with arrhythmia, but it may have unwanted side effects in
some people. Rarely, serious heart problems can develop while you are taking normal
doses but you must remember that you are taking this medicine because your heart already
has a serious problem. It is very important that your doctor keeps a check on your
progress.
Other side effects not listed here may occur in some people.
Reporting side effects
After you have received medical advice for any side effects you experience, you can
report side effects to the Therapeutic Goods Administration online at
www.tga.gov.au/reporting-problems . By reporting side effects, you can help provide more information on the safety of
this medicine.
Always make sure you speak to your doctor or pharmacist before you decide to stop
taking any of your medicines.
7. Product details
This medicine is only available with a doctor's prescription.
What CARDOL contains
|
Active ingredient
(main ingredient)
|
sotalol hydrochloride
|
|
Other ingredients
(inactive ingredients)
|
maize starch
lactose monohydrate
hyprolose
sodium starch glycollate
colloidal anhydrous silica
magnesium stearate
|
|
Potential allergens
|
sugars as lactose
|
Do not take this medicine if you are allergic to any of these ingredients.
What CARDOL looks like
CARDOL 80 mg tablet - White, round tablets, scored on one side, convex with "SOT"
embossed on the other.
They are available in blister packs of 60 tablets. (Aust R 262936).
Who distributes CARDOL
Sponsor
Sandoz Pty Ltd
100 Pacific Highway
North Sydney, NSW 2060
Australia
Tel 1800 726 369
Distributor
CARDOL is distributed in Australia by:
Viatris Pty Ltd
Level 1, 30 The Bond
30-34 Hickson Road
Millers Point NSW 2000
Phone: 1800 274 276
This leaflet was prepared in December 2025.
® Registered Trade Mark. The trade marks mentioned in this material are the property
of their respective owners.