Conversion of supraventricular arrhythmias to sinus rhythm using flecainide

Abstract

We evaluated the efficacy of flecainide acetate (given intravenously to a maximal dose of2 mg kg⁻¹ and then orally in a dose of 100 mg b.d. or 100 mg t.d.s.) in the conversion to sinus rhythm of 50 patients exhibiting supraventricular arrhythmias (39 with atrial fibrillation, 6 with atrial flutter, 4 with supraventricu tachycardia and onewith supraventricular tachycardia in association with the Wolff—Parkinson—White syndrome). Conversion was achieved in 36 patients (72%) (29 cases with atrial fibrillation, 4 cases with supraventricular tachycardia, 2 cases with atrial flutter and one case with Wolff—Parkinson–White syndrome), over a mean period of 7.4 ± 9 h. The patients in which conversion was achieved had arrhythmias which had been in existence for a shorter time (5.3 ± 9.8 days) than those in which conversion was not achieved (16.7 ± 26.2 days) (P−1. Flecainide appears to be an effective agent for the conversion to sinus rhythm of atrial fibrillation and supraventricular tachycardias. Its efficacy in cases of atrial flutter has not yet been demonstrated.