A CASE OF AMIODARONE-INDUCED THYROTOXICOSIS SUCCESSFULLY TREATED WITHPREDNISOLONE

We describe a patient who was treated with amiodarone for ventricular arrhythmia based on arrhythmogenic right ventricular dysplasia and who subsequently developed severe amiodarone-induced thyrotoxicosis. Disc ontinuation of amiodarone resulted in sustained Ventricular tachycardi a, which was successfully treated with a DC electrical shock, and subs equently atrial fibrillation, leading to brain embolism due to occlusi on of the left middle cerebral artery. Combination treatment with amio darone and prednisolone was effective both in reducing the serum conce ntration of thyroid hormones and in improving the patient's general co ndition. As the use of amiodarone becomes more widespread, treatment w ith prednisolone for this kind of thyrotoxicosis, which is resistant t o conventional treatment, will be required increasingly frequently bec ause iodine overload of the thyroid gland persists for some time after discontinuation of amiodarone treatment.