Amiodarone lung toxicity

Posted by mart6321 @mart6321, 3 days ago

I was given 400 mg a day of amiodarone to get my heart back in to sinus rhythm from afib a few weeks before scheduled ablation. It took only 5 days and I was back in rhythm; however just a few more days of amiodarone my breathing became somewhat labored and a PFT test 3 weeks after starting amiodarone showed a dramatic decrease in lung diffusion. I immediately discontinued the drug. It has now been almost 3 months since I stopped taking it. I have been dealing with lung toxicity since then. I took a few weeks of prednisone but this did not help. I am panting with only a small amount of exertion. Has anyone else experienced lung toxicity or other issues after short term amiodarone use?

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Profile picture for mart6321 @mart6321

@tommy901 - thanks for your reply. I am "pushing" myself by walking an uneven hilly path (1 1/2 miles) nearly every day unless it's raining or below 20° F. My lungs were fine Aug 25 when I rec'd 1st dose. 3 weeks later my lungs were damaged. The probability of my lung problem being anything but amiodarone is too small to consider. I really think my eyes have been affected also. I noticed my eyesight had deteriorated, but considered the possibility of amiodarone only after I researched amiodarone side affects. I'm accepting that my lungs may never heal or if healing comes it will be very slow.

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@mart6321 I might mention as I also was on Amiodarone for almost 10 years so I am aware of side effects but I cant say I had you specific problem. But want to let you know when it comes to the Lungs is they do have some ability of recovery from toxins. I was a smoker for over 30 years and quit about 14 years ago. I was told by a pulmonologist that the effects can reverse themselves over time. From smoking you will regain function and reach its best outcome after about 10 years. Hopefully it won't take that long for you as it was short term but wanted to say it is possible.

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Profile picture for carculmer @carculmer

Wow these are interesting comments and it really makes me wonder if this is what is wrong with me - I took Amioderone for 7 months ending with my ablation last February. In a pre-ablation echo done a few month prior to the ablation I was diagnosed with mild pulmonary hypertension. Well the EP paid no attention to this on the echo and it was not until I asked about it that the nurse said "oh they don't do anything with that here, you'll need to go to a pulmonary dr. So I self referred and this started a whole lot of lung testing, another echo which still showed PH, pulmonary rehab, trial of a Breo inhaler even tho he has ruled out asthma after testing, and blood tests. He and the new cardiologist I was referred to after the EP was done with me say they don't know what is causing the PH - now I wonder if I have lung damage from Amioderone even tho it was stopped last February? I continue to have chest tightness, SOB at times (climbing stairs, fast walking, and weird little chest pains more like pinches from time to time. I never thought that Amioderone could hang on this long or cause permanent damage.

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@carculmer PH is also known to be an effect from RF ablation, if that is what yours was.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27475259/. It's too bad your case was confirmed AFTER your ablation (if it was RF and not PFA) because now it's hard to point at one cause alone.
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacep.2023.11.005

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Profile picture for gloaming @gloaming

@carculmer PH is also known to be an effect from RF ablation, if that is what yours was.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27475259/. It's too bad your case was confirmed AFTER your ablation (if it was RF and not PFA) because now it's hard to point at one cause alone.
https://www.jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacep.2023.11.005

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@gloaming No the first echo that identified it was several months before the PFA

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Profile picture for Dana, Volunteer Mentor @danab

@mart6321 I might mention as I also was on Amiodarone for almost 10 years so I am aware of side effects but I cant say I had you specific problem. But want to let you know when it comes to the Lungs is they do have some ability of recovery from toxins. I was a smoker for over 30 years and quit about 14 years ago. I was told by a pulmonologist that the effects can reverse themselves over time. From smoking you will regain function and reach its best outcome after about 10 years. Hopefully it won't take that long for you as it was short term but wanted to say it is possible.

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@danab thanks for your interest. Your reply does give me hope. I'm 80 but lead a very active life - before amiodarone damaged my lungs. I have so many plans for my new garden, but will I be able to garden in 4 months? I'm hoping and praying I'll be better by spring.

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