Comparison of flecainide with quinidine for suppression of chronic stable ventricular ectopic depolarizations. A double-blind randomized study in ambulatory outpatients.
In a randomized placebo-controlled double-blind trial, we compared flecainide to quinidine for treatment of ventricular ectopic depolarizations in 19 patients. The mean percent suppression of total ventricular ectopic depolarizations was 95% for flecainide and 56% for quinidine (p less than 0.05). A greater than 80% reduction of total ventricular ectopic depolarizations was obtained in eight of nine patients given flecainide and in five of ten patients given quinidine (p = 0.09). After the randomized protocol, the patients who had received quinidine were given flecainide; 9 of the 10 patients had greater than 80% reduction of total ventricular ectopic depolarizations. Flecainide produced 100% suppression of nonsustained ventricular tachycardia and 99.5% suppression of paired ventricular depolarizations. Flecainide prolonged the PR and QRS intervals; quinidine prolonged the PR and JTC intervals. Side effects were commoner with quinidine than flecainide (p = 0.06). Three other patients failed to complete the protocol because of serious adverse experiences.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000553:Ambulatory Care; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005424:Flecainide; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011802:Quinidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011897:Random Allocation
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D011802:Quinidine; D005424:Flecainide