Flecainide (Systemic)

Brand Names : Tambocor

Before Using This Medicine

In deciding to use a medicine, the risks of taking the medicine must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. For flecainide, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to flecainide, lidocaine, tocainide, or anesthetics. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substances, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Flecainide has not been studied in pregnant women. However, studies in one kind of rabbit given about 4 times the usual human dose have shown that flecainide causes birth defects. Before taking flecainide, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - Flecainide passes into breast milk. However, this medicine has not been shown to cause problems in nursing babies.

Children - Studies on this medicine have been done only in adult patients, and there is no specific information comparing use of flecainide in children with use in other age groups.

Older adults - Elderly people are especially sensitive to the effects of flecainide. Flecainide may be more likely to cause irregular heartbeat in the elderly.

Other medicines - Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. When you are taking flecainide it is especially important that your health care professional knows if you are taking any of the following:

• Other medicine for heart rhythm problems - Both wanted and unwanted effects on the heart may increase

Other medical problems - The presence of other medical problems may affect the use of flecainide. Make sure you tell your doctor if you have any other medical problems, especially:

• Congestive heart failure - Flecainide may make this condition worse

• Kidney disease or
• Liver disease - Effects of flecainide may be increased because of slower removal from the body

• Recent heart attack - Risk of irregular heartbeats may be increased

• If you have a pacemaker - Flecainide may interfere with the pacemaker and require more careful follow-up by the doctor