Electrophysiologic effects and pharmacokinetics of intravenous penticainide (CM 7857)

Penticainide is a new class I antiarrhythmic agent. Its electrophysiological effects and pharmacokinetic properties were studied in 28 patients undergoing endocavitary exploration for paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (10 cases), WPW syndrome involving an accessory pathway (5 cases), and unexplained dizziness (13 cases). Increasing doses of penticainide were infused in the first 18 patients (0.12 up to 3.5 mg kg-1). The next ten patients received 4 mg kg-1 over a 30 minute period. Penticainide shortened the sinus cycle length and increased the transnodal conduction time. The ventricular conduction time tended to increase. Atrial functional refractory period increased when atrioventricular nodal and ventricular refractory periods remained unchanged. In patients with previous supraventricular tachycardias all triggered arrhythmias were prevented with dosages higher than 2 mg kg-1 and related blood levels higher than 3 mg l-1. A dose-dependency of plasma and renal clearance was documented. Average Cmax values after 4 mg kg-1 was 7.37 +/- 1.28 mg l-1. No adverse events occurred during the trial and penticainide proved to be well tolerated.