Fatal ventricular tachycardia in association with propafenone, a new class IC antiarrhythmic agent.

A man with a past history of malignant ventricular arrhythmias occurring late after myocardial infarction was admitted for assessment. Monitoring revealed frequent ventricular premature beats and occasional non-sustained runs of ventricular tachycardia. Other drugs having failed, he was started on oral propafenone which is a new Vaughan Williams class IC antiarrhythmic agent. Several hours after starting this drug he had incessant ventricular tachycardia and subsequently died. Other class IC agents have been shown to have a high incidence of proarrhythmic effects, and particular care should be taken with these potent new drugs.