management
Last reviewed 03/2022
The first step in the treatment of amiodarone lung is to stop or reduce the dose of amiodarone.
The risk of a life-threatening arrythmia is minimised by:
- using an alternative anti-arrythmic agent
- using radiofrequency ablation of the aberrant conduction pathway in the heart
- implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator
Amiodarone lung is thought to be reversible; the response to stopping the drug may be disappointing as the half-life is up to 45 days.
If histology suggests a diagnosis of bronchiolitis obliterans organising pneumonia then treatment with corticosteroids is indicated.