Procainamide infusion and acute atrial fibrillation.
We report the use of intravenous procainamide infusion in the treatment of fifteen patients with acute atrial fibrillation. Procainamide was infused at 50 mg/min to a maximum of 20 mg/kg, with blood pressure and electrocardiographic monitoring. Ten patients responded, with a mean dose of 8.7 (standard deviation 4.3) mg/kg, four of these reverting to sinus rhythm after a low dose of less than 5.0 mg/kg. Hypotension was a common concomitant and was seen in four cases, but required termination of the infusion only in a patient with cardiomyopathy. An increase in ventricular rate or conversion to atrial flutter was not seen. Intravenous infusion of procainamide is a safe and moderately effective method of cardioversion in acute atrial fibrillation.
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007263:Infusions, Parenteral; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011342:Procainamide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D011342:Procainamide