Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
The EKG in the Patient Treated with Procainamide
Introduction
Electrocardiographic findings of procainamide effects include:
- Unlike Quinidine it is not anticholinergic
- EKG changes are less pronounced than those accompanying quinidine
- The QRS interval is increased in proportion to the plasma level
- The QTc interval is prolonged but to a lesser degree than quinidine
- U waves become more prominent
- In high or toxic doses, it may cause high-degree block and marked widening of the QRS duration, PVCs, VT, Torsades de pointes, VF or asystole. These effects are seen more frequently with the IV preparation than the oral preparation
Editor-In-Chief:
C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]