Chronic flecainide therapy selected by electrophysiology testing of intravenous flecainide

The utility of flecainide acetate was evaluated in 93 patients by means of electrophysiologic studies before and after intravenous flecainide administration to determine long-term efficacy. Twenty patients had a prior history of at least one cardiac arrest and 73 patients had sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT). The mean radionuclear ejection fraction was 32 +/- 5%. Flecainide was evaluated in 93 patients, with 44 patients no longer having VT following flecainide (47% efficacy). Procainamide was evaluated in 69 patients; 24 patients had an adverse reaction to reaction to procainamide and 28 of the 69 patients were protected on procainamide (40% efficacy). The mean serum concentration of flecainide achieved in the protected group was 298 +/- 36 ng/ml and 4.3 micrograms/ml for procainamide. Both flecainide and procainamide significantly prolonged refractoriness, lengthened QRS duration, while only procainamide increased the QT interval. All 93 patients were discharged on antiarrhythmic therapy, 42 on flecainide, 27 on other antiarrhythmic therapy guided by electrophysiologic testing, and 24 on amiodarone (when all other agents failed). Six of the 42 patients on flecainide complained of adverse side effects, but none were severe enough to warrant stopping therapy. Of the 42 patients on flecainide, four (9%) died suddenly over 18 +/- 4 months. Twenty-seven patients were on other therapy; eight of these have died, three suddenly (11%), four with myocardial infarctions, and one due to congestive heart failure. Twenty-four patients started amiodarone; 11 have died, five (21%) suddenly, four of congestive heart failure, one of pulmonary fibrosis, and one with myocardial infarction.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)