N-Acetyl procainamide

N-Acetyl procainamide

File:N-Acetyl procainamide.svg
Gene therapy
Clinical data
Routes of administration	intravenously or orally
Physiological data
Legal status
Pharmacokinetic data
Identifiers
IUPAC name 4-acetylamino-N-(2-diethylaminoethyl)benzamide
CAS Number	32795-44-1
PubChem Template:Abbreviation	4342
Chemical and physical data
Formula	C15H23N3O2
Molar mass	277.36 g/mol

N-Acetylprocainamide (NAPA) (or acecainide) is the N-acetylated metabolite of procainamide. It is a Class III antiarrhythmic agent.

It can be given either intravenously or orally, and is eliminated primarily by renal excretion. Comparative studies with other antiarrhythmic drugs have not been undertaken apart from a small study in atrial flutter where acecainide was better than quinidine plus digoxin. Thus, although further clinical experience is required before the relative place of acecainide in therapy can be determined, the drug nevertheless appears to offer advantages over procainamide, particularly with respect to the reduced formation of antinuclear antibodies.

References

• Merck Index, 13th Edition, 20.
• Ger. Pat. , 1971, 2 062 978; CA , 75 , 76427, (Acecainide)