ENKAID SUMMARY
ENKAID®
(encainide HCl)
ENKAID® (encainide hydrochloride) is an antiarrhythmic drug supplied as 25 and 35 mg capsules for oral administration.
ENKAID is indicated for the treatment of documented ventricular arrhythmias such as sustained ventricular tachycardia that, in the judgement of the physician, are life-threatening. Because of the proarrhythmic effects of ENKAID, its use should be reserved for patients in whom, in the opinion of the physician, the benefits of treatment outweigh the risks. ENKAID should not be used in patients with less severe ventricular arrhythmias, even if the patients are symptomatic.
Treatment with ENKAID should be initiated in a hospital. Patients should also be hospitalized at the time of a dose increase to 200 mg per day or above (see DOSAGE AND ADMINISTRATION).
The effects of ENKAID in patients with supraventricular arrhythmias and patients with recent myocardial infarction (except as described in the WARNINGS section) have not been adequately studied.
As is the case for other antiarrhythmic agents, there is no evidence from controlled trials that the use of ENKAID favorably affects survival or the incidence of sudden death.
|
