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Acute pancreatitis and amiodarone: a case report
Yen-Yuan Chen1, Ching-Yu Chen, Kai-Kuen Leung
1Department of Family Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan, China.
World Journal of Gastroenterology
|March 14, 2007
Summary
Amiodarone, an antiarrhythmic drug, can rarely cause acute pancreatitis. This case report highlights a patient whose pancreatitis resolved after switching to propafenone, suggesting amiodarone as the likely cause.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pharmacology
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Amiodarone is a potent Class III antiarrhythmic medication widely used for tachyarrhythmias.
- While known for pulmonary, hepatic, and thyroid toxicities, its association with pancreatitis is rare.
- Identifying drug-induced pancreatitis is crucial for effective patient management.
Observation:
- A 66-year-old female presented with persistent epigastric pain radiating to flanks, unresponsive to standard pancreatitis treatment.
- No common etiological factors for pancreatitis, such as gallstones, hypertriglyceridemia, or alcohol use, were identified.
- The patient was on amiodarone therapy for a cardiac condition.
Findings:
- Suspected amiodarone-induced acute pancreatitis was diagnosed based on clinical presentation and exclusion of other causes.
- Substitution of amiodarone with propafenone led to rapid symptom alleviation and normalization of pancreatic enzymes.
- The patient remained symptom-free three months post-discharge, supporting the causal link.
Implications:
- This case adds to the limited literature on amiodarone-induced pancreatitis, emphasizing it as a rare but possible adverse effect.
- Clinicians should consider amiodarone as a potential cause of pancreatitis in patients on this medication, especially when other causes are ruled out.
- Prompt recognition and drug substitution can lead to favorable outcomes in amiodarone-induced pancreatitis.
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