Amio lung toxicity

Q: Why lung biopsy is not a desirable procedure to confirm Amiodarone induce pulmonary toxicity?


Answer: Risk of ARDS

For reasons not fully known, patients who are taking amiodarone are highly prone to develop acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) following open or thoracoscopic lung biopsy. It should be proceeded with extreme care and only if absolutely necessary. Otherwise history, respiratory symptoms of non-productive cough, compatible pulmonary function test (PFT) and radiographic findings should be suffice enough to make a diagnosis. 

​Another way to make a probable diagnosis is to give a trial of drug withdrawal and/or systemic steroid administration.

#pulmonary
#pharmacology


References:

1. Nacca N, Bhamidipati CM, Yuhico LS, Pinnamaneni S, Szombathy T. Severe amiodarone induced pulmonary toxicity. J Thorac Dis. 2012;4(6):667–670. doi:10.3978/j.issn.2072-1439.2012.06.08 

2. Wolkove N, Baltzan M. Amiodarone pulmonary toxicity. Can Respir J. 2009;16(2):43–48. doi:10.1155/2009/282540