[Skin adverse effects of amiodarone].

BACKGROUND

Amiodarone has belonged to frequently used antiarrhythmic in the treatment of supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhytmias since the sixties of the twentieth century. Amiodarone is a chemically iodinated benzofuran derivative with mono-N-desethylamiodarone as its major metabolite.

OBJECTIVE

This review is focused on numerous adverse reactions. The incidence of amiodarone induced side-effects ranges from 16-98% of patients receiving amiodarone and it appears to be dose related.

CASE REPORTS

We describe three cases of hyperpigmentation after using amiodarone in elder men.

CONCLUSION

Skin side effects are common, they usually occur as photosensitivity, more rarely as a slate-grey discoloration of the skin. Amiodarone induced slate-grey pigmentation is commonly observed in unprotected light exposed skin. Its incidence ranges from 2-57%. Hyperpigmentation is due to accumulation of amiodarone and its metabolites in the skin.