Chemical Substance attributes
Other attributes
Flecainide (acetate) is a Class IC anti-arrhythmic that is used in certain situations to prevent serious heart rhythm disorders. Flecainide is structurally related to lidocaine and procainamide. It is chemically distinguished from these agents by the presence of trifluoroethoxy- substituents in the aromatic portion of the molecule and a piperidine ring in the amide side chain instead of the diethylaminoethyl group of the procainamide side chain.
Flecainide acetate is available in tablets of 50, 100, or 150 mg for oral administration.
Flecainide acetate is benzamide, N-(2-piperidinylmethyl)-2,5-bis(2,2,2-trifluoroethoxy)-, monoacetate. The structural formula is given below.
Chemical structure
Flecainide (acetate) is indicated for:
1.Supraventricular arrhythmias:
a) due to pre-excitation syndromes, e.g. Wolff-Parkinson-White and Lown-Ganong-Levine
syndromes
b) due to dual AV nodal pathways in patients with debilitating symptoms
c) paroxysmal atrial fibrillation/flutter (PAF) associated with disabling symptoms
Although Flecainide (acetate) may be effective in supraventricular arrhythmias in patients with structural
heart disease, its use has been associated with life-threatening and occasionally fatal ventricular
arrhythmias. In these patients, particularly in the presence of impaired left ventricular function,
Flecainide (acetate) should be used with extreme caution, preferably after other antiarrhythmic drugs have
been tried or considered inappropriate
Use of Flecainide (acetate) in chronic atrial fibrillation has not been adequately studied and is not
recommended.
2. Life threatening ventricular arrhythmias not controlled by other drugs.
Intravenous Flecainide (acetate) is indicated when rapid control or short-term prophylaxis of the above
arrhythmias is the main clinical requirement. All use of the injection should be in hospitals only.
Flecainide (acetate) tablets are used for continuous maintenance of normal rhythm following initial oral or
intravenous therapy or conversion by other means.
