title: Use of flecainide acetate in the treatment of premature ventricular contractions.
abstract: Flecainide acetate, a new benzamide antiarrhythmic agent, was studied after single-dose intravenous administration to 35 male and female patients with nonlife-threatening premature ventricular contractions (PVCs). Prior Holter monitoring established that each patient had "stable" PVCs of at least 600/12 hr. PCV in 80% of the patients was attributed to underlying coronary heart disease and/or Chagas' disease. After bolus injections of flecainide acetate, cardiac rhythm was again monitored by Holter ECG recording for 24 hours. All patients had 100% suppression of PVCs, ranging from 60 to 1440 minutes in duration. The average duration of suppression for all patients was more than 8 hours (498 minutes). Follow-up at 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours showed statistically significant PVC reductions (p less than 0.01) when compared with control rates. Side effects were trivial. The extended half-life of this new agent (about 20 hours in cardiac patients) may allow a convenient twice-daily dosage schedule.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005260:Female; D005424:Flecainide; D006352:Heart Ventricles; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010880:Piperidines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D010880:Piperidines; D005424:Flecainide