Procainamide (Systemic)

Brand Names : Procan SR, Promine, Pronestyl, Pronestyl-SR

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 procainamide, the following should be considered:

Allergies - Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to procainamide, procaine, or any other ``caine-type'" medicine. Also tell your health care professional if you are allergic to any other substance, such as foods, preservatives, or dyes.

Pregnancy - Procainamide has not been studied in pregnant women. However, it has been used in some pregnant women and has not been shown to cause problems. Before taking this medicine, make sure your doctor knows if you are pregnant or if you may become pregnant.

Breast-feeding - Procainamide passes into breast milk.

Children - Procainamide has been used in a limited number of children. In effective doses, the medicine has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults.

Older adults - Dizziness or lightheadedness is more likely to occur in the elderly, who are usually more sensitive to the effects of this medicine.

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 procainamide, it is especially important that your health care professional know if you are taking any of the following:

• Antiarrhythmics (medicines for heart rhythm problems), other - Effects on the heart may be increased

• Antihypertensives (high blood pressure medicine) - Effects on blood pressure may be increased

• Antimyasthenics (ambenonium [e.g., Mytelase], neostigmine [e.g., Prostigmin], pyridostigmine [e.g., Mestinon]) - Effects may be blocked by procainamide

• Pimozide (e.g., Orap) - May increase the risk of heart rhythm problems

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

• Asthma - Possible allergic reaction

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

• Lupus erythematosus (history of) - Procainamide may cause the condition to become active

• Myasthenia gravis - Procainamide may increase muscle weakness