[Thyroid and treatment with amiodarone diagnosis, therapy and clinical management]

Amiodarone is a frequently used antiarrhythmic drug with a high antiarrhythmic potency. However, beside its antiarrhythmic effects Amiodarone also reveals a variety of adverse effects and drug-related complications. The affected organs include the eyes, skin, lungs, nervous system, liver, gastrointestinal tract and the thyroid. The thyroid is one of the most frequently affected organs by Amiodarone. An altered hormone equilibrium always occurs and has to be distinguished from Amiodarone induced hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. The differentiation of these states frequently causes problems and may even be a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge in certain cases. The article gives an overview on the interactions between Amiodarone and the thyroid, the diagnostic and therapeutic options and management strategies of patient on Amiodarone therapy in the view of thyroid function.