Amiodarone pulmonary toxicity: a review

Amiodarone hydrochloride is a very potent antiarrhythmic agent with some desirable pharmacologic properties such as long half-life and no negative inotropic effect. However, it has been reported to cause a variety of cardiac and extracardiac side effects. The most serious of these is pulmonary toxicity which may result in fatal respiratory failure. Amiodarone must, therefore, be used judiciously and patients should be followed-up carefully for side effects, especially amiodarone pneumonitis. The diagnosis of lung toxicity may be difficult because its features are indistinguishable from those of congestive heart failure or pulmonary infection. The prompt recognition and management of this serious toxic effect, however, may be lifesaving