Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Flecainide acetate treatment of paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: Dose-response studies
Author + information
- Edward L.C. Pritchett, MD§,
- Steven D. DaTorre, MD,
- Marc L. Platt, MD,
- Sally E. McCarville, MS,
- Andrina J. Hougham, BA*,
- Flecainide Supraventricular Tachycardia Study Group
- ↵§Address for reprints: Edward L. C. Pritchett, MD. Box 3477, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina 27710.
Abstract
The dose-response relations for efficacy and tolerance of the antiarrhythmic drug flecainide acetate were studied in 28 patients with paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (Group 1) and 45 patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or flutter (Group 2). Recurrent symptomatic tachycardia was documented with use of transtelephonic electrocardiographic recording. Patients received flecainide in doses of 25, 50, 100 and 150 mg twice daily and placebo for 1 month treatment periods.
Among 14 patients in Group 1 who qualified for efficacy analysis, 4 (29%) had no tachycardia while taking placebo. The number with no tachycardia increased with progressively larger flecainide doses; with the 150 mg twice daily dose, 12 (86%) of 14 patients had no tachycardia (p < 0.01 for overall differences among all treatments). Among 28 patients in Group 2,2 (7%) had no tachycardia while taking placebo. The number with no tachycardia also increased with progressively larger flecainide doses; with the 150 mg twice daily dose, 17 (61%) of 28 patients had no tachycardia (p < 0.01 for overall differences among all treatments). Noncardiac adverse experiences were the leading cause of premature study discontinuation during flecainide treatment periods (five patients in Group 1 and six patients in Group 2).
- Received April 18, 1990.
- Revision received August 8, 1990.
- Accepted September 5, 1990.
- American College of Cardiology Foundation
