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.

1 dermatovenerologická klinika Lékarské fakulty MU a FN u sv Anny Brno

Benefits and pitfalls of cardiovascular medication in seniors