A Study of the Use of Flecainide Acetate in the Long‐Term Management of Cardiac Arrhythmias

Abstract

One hundred and sixty-nine patients with a wide range of cardiac arrhythmias and who had been treated with chronic oral flecainide acetate were reviewed retrospectively. The most common arrhythmia was atrial fibrillation (32%), and 20% of the patient population had the Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome. Five hundred and three treatment episodes were assessed, 254 with flecainide alone or in combination, mean duration 7.3 +/- 9.4 months, and 249 without flecainide, mean duration 9.5 +/- 12.3 months. The most common dose for flecainide was 200 mg/day (57% of episodes), and it was used alone in 82% of flecainide treatment episodes. Arrhythmia frequency was reduced or abolished in 73% of flecainide treatment episodes, with little difference between arrhythmia groups. Unwanted effects were seen in 14% of flecainide treatment episodes, and half of these cases were managed by dose adjustment. It is concluded that flecainide acetate is effective in a wide range of cardiac arrhythmias, and that long-term management problems are few.

ST segment elevation in the right precordial leads following administration of class Ic antiarrhythmic drugs

“…Class Ic drugs are known to be effective for the treatment of various arrhythmias 11. On the other hand, proarrhythmic effects and other adverse effects7 12 have also been reported.…”