title: Antiarrhythmic treatment with flecainide (Tambocor). Clinical experience from 107 patients.
abstract: The long-term clinical effect of oral flecainide treatment was evaluated in 107 pts (10-82 yrs). Indications for treatment were: atrial fibrillation 38%, atrial flutter 16%, ventricular tachycardia 24%, ventricular ectopic beats 10% and supraventricular tachycardia 12%. Daily flecainide dosage was 200 (100-400) mg. Follow-up period 3 mths (15 days-15 mths). Based on the history and ECG flecainide had been effective in 51 pts. The improvement was most pronounced in pts suffering from supraventricular tachycardia involving an accessory bypass tract (84-92%). Flecainide had been discontinued in 50 pts due to: insufficient effect in 28, side effects in 17 and for other reasons in 5. The side effects indicating flecainide withdrawal (pts) were: cerebral symptoms (4), gastrointestinal complaints (2), bradyarrhythmias (2), heart failure (3) and suspected pro-arrhythmia (4). (Ventricular tachycardia in 3, 1:1 AV-conducting during atrial flutter in 1).
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Odense University Hospital, Denmark.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Frandsen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pless
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Mickley
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Møller
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy; D001282:Atrial Flutter / Q000188:drug therapy; D005117:Cardiac Complexes, Premature / Q000188:drug therapy; D002648:Child; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D005424:Flecainide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D005424:Flecainide