Quinidine Gluconate (Quinidine Gluconate) Drug Information: Medication Guide and Patient Information

May 27, 2012

Palpitations can occur without heart disease or as a result of abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias).
The SA node is the natural pacemaker of the heart.
Slow heart rhythms are called bradycardias. Rapid heart rhythms are called tachycardias.
The average normal heart beats at a rate of 60 to 100 times per minute.
Some patients with arrhythmias have no symptoms while others can have symptoms, such as palpitations, dizziness, shortness of breath, or chest pain.
Arrhythmias can occur because of disease of the heart muscle, valves, electrical system, or arteries to the heart (coronary arteries).
Palpitations can be evaluated with testing, such as blood tests, echocardiogram, EKG, Holter monitor, treadmill testing, and tests of the coronary arteries.
Palpitations can be relieved in many patients by stress reduction, quitting smoking, and reduction of caffeine and alcohol.

Quinidine Gluconate

font size

Before prescribing quinidine gluconate as prophylaxis against recurrence of atrial fibrillation, the physician should inform the patient of the risks and benefits to be expected (see CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY). Discussion should include the facts:

that the goal of therapy will be a reduction (probably not to zero) in the frequency of episodes of atrial fibrillation; and
that reduced frequency of fibrillatory episodes may be expected, if achieved, to bring symptomatic benefit; but
that no data are available to show that reduced frequency of fibrillatory episodes will reduce the risks of irreversible harm through stroke or death; and in fact
that such data as are available suggest that treatment with quinidine gluconate is likely to increase the patient's risk of death.

Last reviewed on RxList: 10/7/2008
This monograph has been modified to include the generic and brand name in many instances.