title: Are patients receiving amiodarone at increased risk for cardiac operations?
abstract: Amiodarone therapy has been implicated as a risk factor for cardiothoracic surgical procedures. In patients undergoing map-guided surgical procedures for the treatment of ventricular tachycardia, we compared the perioperative course of those receiving long-term amiodarone therapy (n = 36) versus that in those not receiving the drug (n = 31). The two groups were similar with respect to age, sex, presenting symptoms, functional class, extent of coronary artery disease, presence of a ventricular aneurysm, technique of ventricular tachycardia ablation, cross-clamp or pump time, the number of vessels grafted, the operative fluid balance, and a need for intraaortic balloon pump or inotropic agent support. In 5 patients receiving amiodarone, epinephrine was required to maintain a normal systemic vascular resistance and adequate arterial pressure. Postoperatively, 6 patients (17%) on amiodarone therapy suffered acute respiratory failure. In spite of aggressive therapy, 3 of these patients died. Only 1 patient not receiving amiodarone died of a stroke. We conclude that amiodarone therapy in patients undergoing open heart operations is associated with an increased risk of severe pulmonary complications (p = 0.03 by Fisher's exact test). Amiodarone therapy should be withheld in patients with ventricular tachycardia until they have been assessed as candidates for possible surgical intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: L L
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Mickleborough
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maruyama
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mohamed
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Rappaport
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Downar
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Butany
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Sun
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011379:Prognosis; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015996:Survival Rate; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000401:mortality / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000638:Amiodarone