Amiodarone induced thyrotoxicosis

ABSTRACT

Amiodarone is Commonly used effective, broad spectrum antiarrthythmic drug in the management of cardiac dysrhythmias. It is used both in the treatment and prophylaxis of supraventricular and ventricular tacharrhythmia. Accumulation of amiodarone in the thyroid gland may result in thyroid dysfunction, either hypothyroidism [13%] or thyrotoxicosis [3%]. An under active thyroid gland following amiodarone therapy is generally simple to treat, however, hyperthyroidism is more problematic and can be quite severs. It may develop both in apparently normal thyroid glands and in glands with pre-existing abnormalities. We describe a case of thyrotoxicosis in a patient treated with amiodarone for cardiac arrhythmia