Flecainide is a prescription medication used for the treatment and prevention of serious irregular heart beats. It works by stabilizing the heart rhythm, thereby regulating the heart beat. Flecainide should be taken at the same time every day and doses should not be skipped. Since Flecainide is very potent and is utilized for life-threatening conditions, it should only be taken as prescribed. Flecainide can cause several side effects.
Gastrointestinal Problems
Flecainide can cause nausea, stomach pain and constipation. It can also cause a loss of appetite and vomiting which can lead to malnutrition and changes in the chemical composition of the body. In extreme constipation, medical intervention may be required to extract the impacted stool. Stomach pain can be widespread, which is common, or localized in the upper part of the stomach which is rare and more serious.
Neurological Symptoms
Flecainide can cause neurological symptoms such as severe headaches, confusion, dizziness, drowsiness and fatigue. These symptoms usually resolve once flecainide is discontinued. Other neurological symptoms include tremors, decrease in nerve sensations, extreme weakness and fatigue.
Eye and Ear Problems
Flecainide affects the eyes by causing a blurring of vision. Other side effects include dry eyes and light flashes. According to Micromedex, up to 38 percent of people that take flecainide experience blurred vision, about 10 percent experience dry eyes, and about 30 percent see light flashes. Another side effect of flecainide is ringing in the ear, a sensation of sound that originates from the ear or head. Extreme ringing in the ears can affect hearing and sleep. These symptoms are transient and usually go away within weeks of stopping flecainide.
Heart Effects
Flecainide can worsen irregularities in the heartbeat and abnormalities in the heart rhythm, thus decreasing the functioning of the heart. The heart can pump too fast, causing insufficient filling of the heart with blood, or pump too slow and decrease the amount of blood moved from the heart to the body. When the heart is affected, patients can experience palpitations, weakness and fainting spells. Flecainide can also cause a heart attack.
Other Side Effects
Patients on flecainide can frequently experience difficulty breathing, pain at breathing, nervousness and rashes. They can also have swelling of the limbs such as the legs and hands, blood-tinged cough and swelling. Since flecainide is used to prevent a life-threatening disorder, patients should not stop taking the medication due to the side effects without consulting a physician. Once certain unpleasant side effects occur, the physician will weight the benefits of the medication against the risks prior to continuing or discontinuing the medication.
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