Pediatric flecainide pharmacogenomics: a roadmap to delivering precision-based care to pediatrics arrhythmias

Front Pharmacol. 2024 Dec 16:15:1477485. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1477485. eCollection 2024.

Abstract

Flecainide acetate is a Class 1c anti-arrhythmic with a potent sodium voltage gated channel blockade which is utilized for the second-line treatment of tachyarrhythmias in children and adults. Given its narrow therapeutic index, the individualization of drug therapy is of utmost importance for clinicians. Despite efforts to improve anti-arrhythmic drug therapy, there remain knowledge gaps regarding the impact of variation in the genes relevant to flecainide's disposition and response. This variability is compounded in developing children whose drug disposition and response pathways may remain immature. The purpose of this comprehensive review is to outline flecainide's disposition and response pathways while simultaneously highlighting opportunities for prospective investigation in the pediatric population.

Keywords: anti-arrhythmics; flecainide; ontogeny; pediatrics; pharmacogenomics; supraventricular tachycardia.

Publication types

  • Review

Grants and funding

The authors declare that financial support was received for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. MW is supported by a Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development training grant (T32HD069038).