Drug reference
propafenone
For healthcare professionals — reference only. This page is a brief summary, not medical advice and not a substitute for official labeling or clinical judgement. Always verify before prescribing or dispensing.
Drug class
Cardiovascular (Anti Arrhythmia)
Mechanism of action
Class IC antiarrhythmic; slows conduction in cardiac tissue by altering transport of ion across membranes; causes slight prolongation of AV nodal refractory periods; decreases rate of rise of action potential without affecting its duration
Common side effects
- Constipation
- Headache
- Unusual taste
- Dizziness/lightheadedness
Boxed warnings
- NHLBI’s Cardiac Arrhythmia Suppression Trial (CAST): Excessive mortality or nonfatal cardiac arrest (7.7%) shown with encainide or flecainide, compared with placebo (3%) Applicability of CAST results to other populations (eg, patients without recent MI) is uncertain; therefore, reserve use of class IC antiarrhythmics for life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias Considering known proarrhythmic properties of propafenone and lack of evidence of improved survival for any antiarrhythmic drug in patients without life-threatening arrhythmias, use should be reserved for patients with life-threa…
Contraindications
- Bradycardia, asthma/bronchospastic disorders or severe obstructive pulmonary disease, marked hypotension, cardiogenic shock, intraventricular disorders of impulse generation and/or conduction including sick sinus node and syndrome AV block (unless artificial pacemaker present), electrolyte imbalanc…
Known interactions (2)
- dronedarone + propafenone Contraindicated
- propafenone + ritonavir Major
Related conditions
Frequently asked questions
What drug class is propafenone?
propafenone belongs to: Cardiovascular.
How does propafenone work?
Class IC antiarrhythmic; slows conduction in cardiac tissue by altering transport of ion across membranes; causes slight prolongation of AV nodal refractory periods; decreases rate of rise of action potential without affecting its duration
What are the common side effects of propafenone?
Constipation, Headache, Unusual taste, Dizziness/lightheadedness
Which drugs interact with propafenone?
dronedarone, ritonavir
Full monographs, dosing and an interaction checker in the MediHelp app
Open the complete reference, check multi-drug interactions and use dosing tools in the MediHelp app.