Amiodarone therapy and glucose tolerance — A prospective trial

Summary

It has previously been suggested that amiodarone, used widely to treat refractory cardiac arrhythmias, may induce glucose intolerance. In view of this, we have undertaken a prospective study in a group of 10 patients with normal glucose tolerance profiles requiring amiodarone therapy for control of supraventricular or ventricular dysrhythmias. The patients were followed for a total of 9 months, and glucose tolerance tests and glycosylated haemoglobin were done at 3 monthly intervals in all patients.

Both fasting blood glucose levels and glucose tolerance tests were entirely within normal limits in all patients at each stage during the study. Glycosylated haemoglobin did rise significantly at 6 months, but this did not exceed the normal range in the majority of patients and the rise was not sustained at 9 months.

In this prospective study therefore, there is no evidence of either glucose intolerance or a diabetogenic effect during prolonged therapy with amiodarone.