Shortage of Key Arrhythmia Medications in Bulgarian Pharmacies: What Should Patients Do?

A prolonged shortage of important medications for the treatment of rhythm disorders is being observed in Bulgarian pharmacies, causing serious anxiety among patients. The main affected drugs are 'Sotagama 80' and 'Cordarone 200'.

According to information from the Regional Pharmaceutical College in Plovdiv, there is a substitute for 'Sotagama' called 'Sotahexal', which is supplied at intervals. However, the situation is more critical with 'Cordarone'. Although the medication has a generic equivalent—amiodarone—and its availability on the market is also limited, the manufacturer assures that supplies are expected by the end of the week.

Important: Do not stop your therapy!

Pharmacists express serious concern regarding the risks of arbitrarily discontinuing intake. 'Cordarone' is a medication with an extremely long half-life in the body (between 20 and 100 days), which means its action and side effects continue long after stopping the tablets. Experts emphasize that for patients with life-threatening arrhythmias, stopping treatment without consulting a cardiologist can lead to an immediate and dangerous recurrence of the arrhythmia.

How to find the medication?

Since the medications are only available by prescription, patients cannot stockpile them, making them vulnerable during shortages. Some of those affected are already seeking solutions by purchasing the medication from neighboring countries such as Turkey, Greece, Serbia, or North Macedonia.

When purchasing from countries within the European Union, it is critically important to have a valid paper prescription from a Bulgarian specialist. To be accepted abroad, the prescription must contain:

• The International Nonproprietary Name (INN) of the substance (Amiodarone) in Latin script;
• The exact dosage (e.g., 200 mg) and administration schedule;
• The patient's name, written exactly as it appears in their personal documents (in Latin script).