Published online Oct 16, 2015. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v3.i10.900
Peer-review started: January 21, 2015
First decision: March 6, 2015
Revised: April 18, 2015
Accepted: August 10, 2015
Article in press: August 11, 2015
Published online: October 16, 2015
Processing time: 269 Days and 9.2 Hours
Acute hepatitis is a very rare, but potentially fatal, adverse effect of intravenous amiodarone. We present a case of an 88-year-old man with history of ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy and severely depressed left ventricular function that was admitted to our coronary care unit with diagnosis of decompensated heart failure and non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. A few hours after the beginning of intravenous amiodarone he developed an acute hepatitis. There was a completely recovery within the next days after amiodarone withdrawn and other causes of acute hepatitis have been ruled out. This case highlights the need for close monitoring of hepatic function during amiodarone infusion in order to identify any potential hepatotoxicity and prevent a fatal outcome. Oral amiodarone is, apparently, a safe option in these patients.
Core tip: We report a rare case of acute hepatitis induced by intravenous amiodarone in a patient with non-sustained ventricular tachycardia. The physiopathology of this adverse effect is still unclear. Close monitoring of hepatic function during amiodarone infusion is essential to avoid any potential hepatotoxicity.