[Flecainide acetate utilisation review among general practitioners and hospital or office-based cardiologists in France. Obepine: observational study of flecainide].
A pharmacoepidemiological cross-sectional observational study was performed among a representative sample of French general practitioners and cardiologists. The aim of this study was to describe the prescription modalities of flecainide acetate, an Ic class antiarrhythmic, and how these modalities match the marketing authorization and the current summary of product characteristics. A total of 941 physicians participated in the study, 496 GPs and 445 cardiologists, and 1116 patients treated with flecainide for more than one month were included. On average, the patients were 68.7-years-old and 54% of them were women. Most of the initial flecainide prescriptions came from cardiologists (96%) and the check-up included an electrocardiogram (98%), a Holter monitoring (56%) and/or an echocardiography (71%). The preferred indication was supraventricular rhythm disorders (95%) and mostly atrial fibrillation (63%). A small proportion of coronary patients (7%) and of patient suffering from cardiac insufficiency (4%) was found. Flecainide was prescribed with a median posology of 150 mg per day, mostly as LP form (64%). Overall, the indications specified in the summary of product characteristics were respected in 90% of the cases, the contraindications in 91% of the cases and the patient follow-up was appropriate in 99% of the cases. In conclusion, the study showed that the prescription's conditions of flecainide in France complied with the summary of product characteristics data for most of the prescribing physicians with a respect of the indications, contraindications and management recommendations in 84% of the cases.
Liard
F
F
Faculté de médecine Saint-Antoine, 27, rue Chaligny, 75012 Paris, France.
Le Heuzey
J Y
JY
Jaillon
P
P
Lièvre
M
M
Danchin
N
N
D000368:Aged; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy; D002303:Cardiac Output, Low / Q000188:drug therapy; D002309:Cardiology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D015716:Electrocardiography, Ambulatory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016021:Epidemiologic Studies; D005194:Family Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D005424:Flecainide / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005602:France; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008875:Middle Aged; D011331:Private Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013617:Tachycardia, Supraventricular / Q000188:drug therapy
D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D005424:Flecainide