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Procainamide and N-Acetylprocainamide , Serum

Lab area
Clinical Biochemistry - General
Method and equipment

Immunoassay on the Abbott Architect

Expected turn-around time
STAT: 1 hour Urgent : 3 hours Routine: 3 hours
Specimen type

Serum or plasma heparin

Specimen requirements

Serum (red/gold top) and plasma heparin (green/mint green top) tubes

Storage and transportation

Blood should be centrifuged within 2 hours of collection. After centrifugation, immediately aliquot plasma/serum. Store the plasma/serum at 2-8°C and ship at -20°C within 2 weeks.

Special requirements

Grossly hemolyzed samples should not be analyzed.

Shipping information
The Hospital for Sick Children
Rapid Response Laboratory
555 University Avenue, Room 3642
Toronto, ON
Canada
M5G 1X8
Phone: 416-813-7200
Toll Free: 1-855-381-3212
Hours: 7 days/week, 24 hours/day
Background and clinical significance

Procainamide is a cardiac drug commonly used in combination with digoxin, beta-blockers, or amiodarone for supraventricular tachycardia. Procainamide and its active metabolite N-acetyl procainamide (NAPA) have significant antiarrhythmic activity. Therapeutic drug monitoring for procainamide is required because of its dose-dependent toxicity, narrow therapeutic index, and wide inter-individual variability in metabolism and renal function.

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