From the Guidelines
Amiodarone can cause hives as a side effect, although it is not explicitly listed among the common adverse effects in the provided study 1. The study focuses on the challenges of polypharmacy in older people with cardiovascular disease and reviews the adverse effects of various cardiovascular drugs, including antiarrhythmic medications like amiodarone. While the study does not specifically mention hives as a side effect of amiodarone, it does list cutaneous effects such as photosensitivity, blue-grey skin, and other skin reactions as possible adverse effects of amiodarone 1. Given the broad range of potential skin reactions associated with amiodarone, it is reasonable to consider hives as a possible, though less common, side effect. Key points to consider include:
- Amiodarone's high iodine content and tendency to accumulate in tissues can trigger immune responses, potentially leading to skin reactions including hives.
- If hives occur, patients should contact their healthcare provider immediately for evaluation and guidance, as this may represent a hypersensitivity reaction.
- Management may involve switching to an alternative antiarrhythmic medication and treating the allergic symptoms, under the guidance of a healthcare provider.
From the FDA Drug Label
ADVERSE REACTIONS ... Other treatment-emergent possibly drug-related adverse events reported in less than 2% of patients receiving amiodarone HCl injection in controlled and uncontrolled studies included the following: ... toxic epidermal necrolysis (sometimes fatal), erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, exfoliative dermatitis, ... pruritus, ... also have been reported with amiodarone therapy
- Hives are not explicitly mentioned in the drug label as an adverse reaction.
- However, skin-related adverse reactions such as toxic epidermal necrolysis, erythema multiforme, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, exfoliative dermatitis, and pruritus are reported.
- Although hives are not directly mentioned, it is possible that they could be related to the reported skin-related adverse reactions.
- Given the information available in the drug label, it is unclear if amiodarone can cause hives, but it does cause other skin-related adverse reactions 2.
From the Research
Amiodarone and Hives
- Amiodarone is an antiarrhythmic medication that can cause various side effects, including hypersensitivity and allergic reactions 3, 4.
- While the provided studies do not directly mention hives as a specific side effect, they do report cases of anaphylactic shock, angioedema, and other skin reactions such as photosensitivity, erythema, and swelling 3, 5, 6, 4.
- A case study reported a patient experiencing facial urticaria after taking amiodarone, which is a type of skin reaction that can be related to hives 4.
- Another study mentioned that amiodarone can cause skin side effects, including slate-grey discoloration of the skin, hyperpigmentation, and photosensitivity, which can be dose-related 5.
- It is essential to note that amiodarone contains iodine, and patients with a history of iodine allergy or hypersensitivity to iodinated contrast media may be at higher risk of experiencing allergic reactions, including potentially hives 3, 4.
Key Findings
- Amiodarone can cause a range of skin reactions, including photosensitivity, erythema, and swelling 5, 6.
- Patients with a history of iodine allergy or hypersensitivity to iodinated contrast media may be at higher risk of experiencing allergic reactions to amiodarone 3, 4.
- The incidence of amiodarone-induced side effects, including skin reactions, can be dose-related 5.