Amiodarone, a class III antiarrhythmic agent according to the Vaughan-Williams classification, is commonly prescribed to control supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias, especially in patients with ventricular dysfunction. Amiodarone-induced hyperthyroidism may provoke serious cardiovascular complications, as illustrated by our two clinical cases. The diagnosis of amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis may prove tricky at times, and its medical treatment complex.
Surgical management of amiodarone-induced hyperthyroidism appears to be an attractive therapeutic option, particularly for patients with a risk of arrhythmias upon amiodarone discontinuation.
Key Words
Amiodarone, hyperthyroidism, thyroidectomy, electrical storm, thyrotoxicosis, atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia
What does this article bring up for us?
This article highlights the benefit of total thyroidectomy, based on two patients with severe amiodarone-induced hyperthyroidism resistant to medical treatment. It describes the different stages of this rather unusual therapeutic approach that allowed both patients, who were in a dangerous clinical condition, to be treated effectively.