Rectal absorption of flecainide acetate.

The rectal absorption of flecainide from an aqueous solution, a fatty suppository and a polyethyleneglycol suppository was studied in one patient with supraventricular tachycardia (Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome) refractory for oral anti-arrhythmic treatment. Rectal absorption was found to be fast (t1/2abs = 1 h) and complete when flecainide was administered as a solution (relative bioavailability 100%). Flecainide was poorly absorbed from a fatty suppository. The polyethyleneglycol suppository gave absorption with a relative bioavailability of 80% and t1/2 abs = 1.2 h.