Open AccessDose‐dependent appearance and disappearance of amiodarone‐induced skin pigmentation
Author(s) -
Kounis Nicholas G.,
Frangides Christos,
Papadaki Paraskevi J.,
Zavras George M.,
Goudevenos John
Publication year - 1996
Publication title -
clinical cardiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.263
H-Index - 72
eISSN - 1932-8737
pISSN - 0160-9289
DOI - 10.1002/clc.4960190713
Subject(s) - amiodarone , medicine , pigmentation disorder , antiarrhythmic agent , dermatology , heart disease , atrial fibrillation
A 66‐year‐old man suffering from atrial flutter developed cutaneous blue‐gray pigmentation while receiving 600 mg of amiodarone daily for 15 months. With reduction of the dose to 100 mg, skin discoloration disappeared within 16 months, to reappear within 7 months after increasing the dose to 400 mg. Finally, the discoloration disappeared within 13 months with a dose reduction to 200 mg daily. It seems that a tissue threshold level for amiodarone exists in this patient, above which skin discoloration appears and below which it fades. Dose, duration, metabolism, macrophage transfer, and spillover saturation‐excretion may be relevant in amiodarone‐induced skin pigmentation.