Oral lignocaine: its absorption and effectiveness in ventricular arrhythmia control

A preliminary study suggests that the gastrointestinal absorption of lignocaine is predictable and that adequate antiarrhythmic blood concentrations are maintained for four to five hours when 500 mg. is taken with food and for two hours if the drug is taken without food. Ventricular arrhythmias were successfully treated with oral lignocaine in four patients.