Flecainide Amiodarone

AMIODARONE FLECAINIDE t plasma levels of ffecainide Amiodarone is a potent inhibitor of the CYP2D6-mediated metabolism of ffecainide 1 the dose of ffecainide (by up to 50%)... 

ANALGESICS-celecoxib, opioids 2. ANTIARRHYTHMICS -amiodarone, flecainide, propafenone 3. ANTICANCER DRUGS - doxorubicin... 

CIMETIDINE, RANITIDINE ANTIARRHYTHMICS-AMIODARONE, FLECAINIDE, MEXILETINE, PROCAINAMIDE, PROPAFENONE Likely t plasma concentrations of these antiarrhythmics and risk of adverse effects Cimetidine inhibits CYP2D6-mediated metabolism of flecainide, mexiletine, procainamide and propafenone. Ranitidine is a much weaker CYP2D6 inhibitor. Cimetidine is a potent inhibitor of organic cation transport in the kidney, and the elimination of procainamide is impaired Monitor PR and BP at least weekly until stable. Warn patients to report symptoms of hypotension (lightheadedness, dizziness on standing, etc.). Consider alternative acid suppression therapy... 

The calcium channel blocker mibefradil (Posicor ) was removed from the market in 1998. The headline for the Pink Sheets article describing this action was "Posicor Withdrawal Reflects Complexity of Interaction Profile" (59). Products identified as potentially dangerous in combination with mibefradil included cardiac drugs, such as amiodarone, flecainide, and propafenone oncologic products, such as tamoxifen, cyclophosphamide, etoposide, ifosfamide, and vinblastine and the immunosuppressant medications cyclosporine and tacrolimus. The sponsor s decision to withdraw mibefradil was based on the complexity of the drug interaction information that would have to be communicated to ensure safe usage. 

Ritonavir Amiodarone/flecainide Decreased metabolism of other agents Avoid... 

Ventricular fibrillation should be terminated by electrical defibrillation. Alternatively, lidocaine can be injected intravenously. In cases with lower frequency, ventricular tachyarrhythmia class I diugs such as aj marine, flecainide or propafenone are more effective as a result of the use-dependence of lidocaine. For prophylaxis treatment, amiodarone or sotalol may be helpful or the implantation of a cardioverter-defibrillator system. Acute amiodarone (i.v. in higher doses) can also terminate ventricular tachyarrhythmias. This action, however, seems to be mediated by its INa-blocking side effects and not (or less) by its class III like effects. 

AF often recurs after initial cardioversion because most patients have irreversible underlying heart or lung disease. A metaanalysis confirmed that quinidine maintained sinus rhythm better than placebo however, 50% of patients had recurrent AF within 1 year, and more importantly, quinidine increased mortality, presumably due in part to proarrhythmia. Type Ic (e.g., flecainide, propafenone) and type III (e.g., amiodarone, sotalol, dofetilide) antiarrhythmic agents may be alternatives to quinidine however, these agents are also associated with proarrhythmia. Consequently, chronic antiarrhythmic drugs should be reserved for patients with recurrent paroxysmal AF associated with intolerable symptoms during episodes of AF. 

Q79 As opposed to flecainide, amiodarone is not associated with pneumonitis as a side-effect. Signs of pneumonitis include progressive shortness of breath or cough. 

Administration with amiodarone When flecainide is given in the presence of amiodarone, reduce the usual flecainide dose by 50% and monitor the patient closely for adverse effects. Plasma level monitoring is strongly recommended to guide dosage with such combination therapy. 

Drugs that may affect flecainide include amiodarone, cimetidine, cisapride, disopyramide, propranolol, ritonavir, urinary acidifiers/alkalinizers, and verapamil. Smoking may also have an effect. Drugs that may be affected by flecainide include cisapride, propranolol, and digoxin. 

Drugs that may affect amiodarone include hydantoins, cholestyramine, fluoroquinolones, rifamycins, ritonavir, and cimetidine. Drugs that may be affected by amiodarone include anticoagulants, beta-blockers, calcium channel blockers, cyclosporine, dextromethorphan, digoxin, disopyramide, fentanyl, flecainide, hydantoins, lidocaine, methotrexate, procainamide, quinidine, and theophylline. Drug/Lab test interactions Amiodarone alters the results of thyroid function tests, causing an increase in serum T4 and serum reverse T3 levels and a decline in... 

WARNING Co administration w/ ritonavir assoc w/ Hep hepatic decomp w/ fatalities. D/C w/ S/Sxs of H Uses HIV 1 Infxn w/ highly Tx-experienced pts or HIV 1 strains resistant to multiple protease inhibitors. Must be used w/ ritonavir 200 mg Action Antiretroviral HIV-1 protease inhibitor Dose 500 mg PO bid w/ food, administer w/ ritonavir 200 mg PO bid Caution [C, -] Sulfa aU gy, Uvct Dz Contra Mod-severe hepatic insuff concomitant use w/ amiodarone, astemizole, bepridil, cisapride, ergots, flecainide, lovastatin, midazolam, pimozide, propafenone, quinidine, rifampin, simvastatin, terfenadine, triazolam, St. John s wort Disp Caps SE HA, GI distress, rash, fati e, fat redistribution, hyperglycemia, Hep, liver Dz, lipid elevations Interactions T Effects OF anticoagulants, antipits, azole antifun-... 

Amiodarone increases the hypoprothrombinemic response to warfarin (an oral anticoagulant) by reducing its metabolism. Patients receiving digoxin may undergo an increase in serum digoxin concentrations when amiodarone is added to the treatment regimen. Amiodarone interferes with hepatic and renal elimination of flecainide, phenytoin, and quinidine. 

Contraindications Concurrent use of amiodarone, astemizole, bepridil, bupropion, cisapride, clozapine, encainide, flecainide, meperidine, piroxicam, propafenone, propoxyphene, quinidine, rifabutin, or terfenadine (increased risk of serious or life-... 

Classes I, III, and IV all involve transmembrane ion channels Classes I and III involve Na+ channels. Class I compounds are designed to block cardiac Na channels in a voltage-dependent manner, similar to local anesthetics. Not surprisingly, many of these Class I agents are either local anesthetics or are structurally based on local anesthetics. Class I compounds include procainamide (7.15), disopyramide (7.16), amiodarone (7.17), lido-caine (7.5), tocainide (7.18), mexiletine (7.19), and flecainide (7.20). The majority of these compounds possess two or three of the fundamental structural building blocks found within local anesthetics. Propranolol (7.21) is the prototypic Class II agent. Class III compounds include molecules that block outward K channels, such as sotalol (7.22) and dofetilide (7.23), and molecules that enhance an inward Na current, such as... 

Lopinavir/Ritonavir (Kaletra) [Anrirelroviral/Protease Inhibitor] Uses HIV Infxn Action Protease inhibitor Dose Adults. Tx naive 2 tab PO daily or 1 tab PO bid Tx experiencedpt 1 tab PO bid (T dose if w/ amprenavir, efavirenz, fosamprenavir, nelfinavir, nevirapine) Peds. 7-15 kg 12/3 mg/kg PO bid 15-40 kg 10/2.5 mg/kg PO bid >40 kg Adult dose w/ food Caution [C, /-] Numerous interactions Contra w/drugs dependent on CYP3A/CYP2D6 (Table VI-8) Disp Tab, soln SE Avoid disulfiram (soln has EtOH), metronidazole GI upset, asthenia, T cholesterol/triglycerides, pancreatitis protease metabolic synd Interactions T Effects Wl clarithromycin, erythromycin T effects OF amiodarone, amprenavir, azole andfungals, bepridil, cisapride, cyclosporine, CCBs, ergot alkaloids, flecainide, flurazepam, HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors, indinavir, lidocaine, meperidine, midazolam, pimozide, propafenone, propoxyphene, quinidine, rifabutin, saquinavir, sildenafil, tacrolimus, terfenadine, triazolam, zolpidem 1 effects Wl barbiturates, carbamazepine, dexamethasone, didanosine, efavirenz, nevirapine, phenytoin, rifabutin, rifampin, St. John s wort 1 effects OF OCPs, warfarin EMS Use andarrhythmics and benzodiazepines... 

T effects OF amiodarone, astemizole, atorvastadn, barbiturates, bepridil, bupropion, cerivastatin, cisapride, clorazepate, clozapine, clarithromycin, desipramine, diazepam, encainide, ergot alkaloids, estazolam, flecainide, flurazepam, indinavir, ketoconazole, lovastatin, meperidine, midazolam, nelfinavir, phenytoin, pimozide, piroxicam, propafenone, propoxyphene, quinidine, rifabutin, saquinavir, sildenafil, simvastatin, SSRIs, TCAs, terfenadine, triazolam, troleandomycin, zolpidem X effects W/ barbiturates, carbamazepine, phenytoin, rifabutin, rifampin, St. John s wort, tobacco X effects OF didanosine, hypnotics, methadone, OCPs, sedatives, theophylline, warfarin EMS T Effects of amiodarone, diazepam, midazolam and BBs, may need X- doses concurrent use of Viagra-type drugs can lead to hypotension X- effects of warfarin concurrent EtOH use can T adverse effects T glucose ODs May cause an extension of adverse SEs symptomatic and supportive Rivasrigmine (Exelon) [Cholinesterase Inhibitor/Anri ... 

The pharmacokinetics of saquinavir is modified by agents that alter isoenzyme CYP3A4 of the cytochrome P-450 system and P-glycoprotein transporter. It should not be administered with midazolam, triazolam and ergot derivatives. The plasma concentrations of saquinavir are lower when coadministered with efavirenz, nevirapine or rifampin. Ritonavir reverses the effects of nevirapine on saquinavir. The coadministration of astemizole, terfenadine, amiodarone, bepridil, quinidine, propafenone or flecainide with saquinavir is also not recommended due to its potential for serious and/or life-threatening reactions. 

Of 26 fetuses with hydrops fetalis and supraventricular tachycardias, 25 received transplacental drug therapy prenatal conversion occurred in 15 (82). Nine fetuses were converted to sinus rhythm using either flecainide (n = 7) or amiodarone (n = 2) as first-line therapy, while digoxin either alone or in association with sotalol failed to restore sinus rhythm in all cases. After first-line therapy, supraventricular tachycardia persisted in 10 fetuses, nine of whom received amiodarone alone or in association with digoxin as second-line therapy, and five of whom converted to sinus rhythm. Of 11 neonates who received amiodarone in utero, two developed raised thyroid stimulating hormone concentrations on postnatal days 3-4 they received thyroid hormone and had normal outcomes. 

Whatever the mechanism, the important lesson reinforced by CAST was that the decision to initiate any form of drug therapy (antiarrhythmic or otherwise) should be predicated on the knowledge (or at least a reasonable assumption) that any risk is outweighed by real or potential benefit. Large trials suggest that amiodarone (unlike flecainide) has a slightly beneficial effect on survival of patients with advanced heart disease, while many studies indicate a prominent beneficial effect of 15-blockade. 

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