Possibilities of using amiodarone in thyroid pathology

Abstract

Amiodarone is currently the most effective drug for life-threatening arrhythmias, however, the instructions for its use indicate thyroid dysfunction (hypothyroidism, hyper thyroidism) as contraindications. Due to the high iodine content, amiodarone can cause damage to the thyroid gland (with the development of hypothyroidism or thyrotoxicosis) in 15–20 % of patients. Before starting amiodarone therapy, it is necessary to assess the pa tient's thyroid status with mandatory determination of thyroid-stimulating hormone. In cases where amiodarone is prescribed for primary or secondary prevention of fatal ventricular arrhythmias or when discontinuation of the drug is impossible for other reasons (any form of arrhythmias that occurs with severe clinical symptoms that cannot be eliminated by other means of antiarrhythmic therapy), compensation for impaired thyroid function is carried out while continuing amiodarone intake.