Amiodarone lung: under recognised but not forgotten

Abstract

Amiodarone is a common medication used widely in clinical practice. It is a triiodinated antiarrhythmic associated with a variety of adverse effects both pulmonary and extrapulmonary, the most serious being amiodarone-induced pulmonary toxicity (AIPT) or amiodarone lung. This can present with a variety of clinical syndromes ranging from subacute symptoms to an indolent and a progressive course thus mimicking an alternative diagnosis. We report a case of amiodarone lung in a female who presented with an acute fulminant progressive pneumonitis despite being on very low dose (100 mg once daily) that proved fatal. Diagnosis was made on postmortem examination due to a diagnostic conundrum. Despite the steady decrease of AIPT with reduced dose, it is vital for the treating clinicians to monitor regularly for adverse effects and review the need for long-term use to prevent complications.