Complete heart block associated with cardiac arrest during oral amiodaroneloading therapy

Amiodarone is a class III antiarrhythmic drug frequently used in the treatm ent of both supraventricular and ventricular tachyarrhythmias. Despite its numerous non-cardiac side effects, cardiac side effects are rare with brady cardias occurring in less than 2% of the patients. We present a case of a p atient with preexisting complete left bundle branch block who developed com plete heart block associated with cardiac arrest after taking a total of 1. 8 gram oral amiodarone. This case illustrates the potential for life-threat ening, acute bradycardia associated with the initiation of high dose oral a miodarone.