Tocainide: a new oral antiarrhythmic

Tocainide is an orally active lidocaine analog indicated for the suppression of ventricular arrhythmias. It is electrophysiologically similar to lidocaine and produces minimal hemodynamic and electrocardiographic changes. Oral bioavailability is virtually complete, elimination half-life is 11-15 hours, and 40 percent of a dose is excreted unchanged in urine. Tocainide therapy is commonly associated with gastrointestinal and neurologic side effects that generally are well tolerated. Rash, aggravation of arrhythmias, and worsening of heart failure may also occur. While tocainide does not consistently suppress arrhythmias following myocardial infarction, it does control chronic ventricular arrhythmias, being particularly effective in patients responsive to lidocaine. Tocainide has not been shown to be more effective than quinidine or procainamide. Tocainide should be a useful agent in patients who are unable to tolerate other antiarrhythmics, who are responsive to lidocaine, or who have been troubled with Q-T prolongation with or without torsade de pointes.