| Item |
Information |
|
Drug Groups
|
approved; withdrawn |
|
Description
|
All drug products containing encainide hydrochloride. Encainide hydrochloride, formerly marketed as Enkaid capsules, was associated with increased death rates in patients who had asymptomatic heart rhythm abnormalities after a recent heart attack. The manufacturer of Enkaid capsules voluntarily withdrew the product from the US market on December 16, 1991. |
| Indication |
Encainide is a class Ic antiarrhythmic agent which was used for management of irregular heartbeats, such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, ventricular tachycardia, and ventricular fibrillation. |
| Pharmacology |
Used to treat irregular heartbeats, encainide decreases excitability, conduction velocity, and automaticity as a result of slowed atrial, atrioventricular (AV) nodal, His-Purkinje, and intraventricular conduction. It causes a slight but significant prolongation of refractory periods in these tissues. The greatest effect is on the His-Purkinje system. Encainide decreases the rate of rise of the action potential without markedly affecting its duration. |
| Affected Organisms |
| • |
Humans and other mammals |
|
| Half Life |
1-2 hours |
| Elimination |
A radiolabeled dose of encainide is excreted in approximately equal amounts in the urine and feces. |
| External Links |
|
|