Severe neutropenia due to sustained-release procainamide.
With increased use of sustained-release forms of procainamide in treating common cardiac arrhythmias, more and more cases of severe neutropenia and occasional deaths have been reported. It is unclear whether all sustained-release procainamide preparations are implicated. I recommend that a complete blood count be done every two weeks for the first three months of treatment with these drugs. Any patient who has an unexplained fever or a toxic reaction while taking one of these preparations should have a complete blood count done.
D000368:Aged; D000380:Agranulocytosis / Q000139:chemically induced*; D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D011342:Procainamide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy
D003692:Delayed-Action Preparations; D011342:Procainamide