Hepatotoxicity associated with amiodarone therapy

Amiodarone has been reported to cause asymptomatic increases in liver function tests in 15-55% of patients. Clinically apparent, symptomatic hepatic disease occurs less frequently, but patients have been reported to have hepatomegaly, jaundice, cirrhosis, or chronic active hepatitis. Less well recognized is the fact that amiodarone has been attributed to six deaths. We cared for a patient with amiodarone hepatotoxicity, which led us to review the literature associated with this serious condition.