[Cerebellar syndrome caused by amiodarone].
Amidarone (AMD) is an antiarrhythmic drug with side effects on the nervous system. Cerebellum is seldom involved: We describe the case of a 56 years old male patient with a history of 4 month of cerebellar involvement characterized by gait unsteadiness, ataxia, nistagmus and vertigo. He was on treatment with AMD because of ventricular arrythmia. The cerebellar syndrome progressively disappeared after drug withdrawal and he was symptoms-free 4 months later. Similar symptoms appeared after another one month of automedication with the same drug. Structural lesions, metabolic, nutritional deficiencies or toxics were excluded. Mechanisms of cerebellar toxicity of AMD are yet unknown. The knowledge of the toxic effects of this drug, widely used in our country, would allow its early recognition.
Garretto
N S
NS
Division Neurologia, Hospital Jose Maria Ramos Mejia, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Rey
R D
RD
Kohler
G
G
Cocorullo
S
S
Monteverde
D A
DA
Ravera
B I
BI
Sica
R E
RE
D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy; D002524:Cerebellar Ataxia / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000175:diagnosis; D005072:Evoked Potentials, Auditory; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D000638:Amiodarone