Procainamide (Procanbid)
Major Safety Concerns
Possibility of
- Changes to heart rhythm- tachycardia, fibrillation, dizziness, syncope. (Falls, death)
- Chest pain (MI).
- Dyspnea (Hypoxia).
- Hypotension (Falls).
- Infection—fever, chills, cough, or sore throat (Sepsis).
- Lupus-like symptoms—joint pain, swelling, or stiffness, butterfly face rash, photosensitive rashes, fever, marked weakness or fatigue....Worsening Lupus.
- Unexpected bleeding or bruising (Hypovolemic shock).
- Agranulocytosis (Supppressed Immunity).
- Hepatotoxicity.
- Given only in hospital.
- Contraindications: Total heart block, Lupus, Torsades de Points (twisting of EKG points).
- Black Box warnings.
