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Torsades de pointes due to n-acetylprocainamide
Pacing and Clinical Electrophysiology : PACE
|July 1, 1985
Summary
High levels of n-acetylprocainamide (NAPA), not procainamide, caused dangerous heart rhythm in a patient with kidney failure. Hemodialysis effectively lowered NAPA levels, preventing further torsades de pointes episodes.
Area of Science:
- Pharmacology
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
Background:
- Procainamide is an antiarrhythmic drug.
- Patients with chronic renal failure may have difficulty clearing drugs and their metabolites.
- N-acetylprocainamide (NAPA) is a metabolite of procainamide.