Propafenone

Information about Propafenone

Propafenone is an oral antiarrhythmic agent that has been in wide use for several decades.

Liver safety of Propafenone

Long term propafenone therapy is associated with a low rate of serum aminotransferase elevations and therapy rarely can cause a self limited, acute cholestatic liver injury.

Mechanism of action of Propafenone

Propafenone (proe" pa fee' none) is an analogue of the local anesthetic procaine and has electrophysiological effects that resemble quinidine (antiarrhythmic Class IC). Propafenone appears to act by blocking open sodium channels and outward potassium channels. As a consequence, it decreases cardiac automaticity, increases refractory periods and slows conduction.

FDA approval information for Propafenone

Propafenone was approved for use in the United States in 1989, and current approved indications include prevention of recurrence of symptomatic atrial fibrillation after cardioversion in patients without structural heart disease, and for suppression of life threatening ventricular arrhythmias.

Dosage and administration for Propafenone

Propafenone is available as tablets of 150, 225 and 300 mg and as extended release capsules of 225, 325 and 425 mg generically under the brand name Rythmol. The usual maintenance dose in adults of standard release forms is 150 to 300 mg every 8 hours and 225 to 425 mg of the sustained release forms every 12 hours.

Side effects of Propafenone

The most common side effects include dizziness, fatigue, headache, anxiety, gastrointestinal upset, change in taste and blurred vision. List of antiarrhythmic agents:

• Amiodarone
• Disopyramide
• Dofetilide
• Dronedarone
• Flecainide
• Ivabradine
• Mexiletine
• Procainamide
• Propafenone
• Quinidine

• Dailymed label info on Propafenone
• FDA Propafenone

Propafenone

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  Chemical structure of Propafenone
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  Ball-and-stick model of Propafenone
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  Structural formula of (R)-Propafenone
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  Structural formula of (S)-Propafenone