Tocainide-associated interstitial pneumonitis.

Tocainide (2-amino-2',6'-propionoxy-lidide) is an analogue of lignocaine which is almost 100% absorbed after oral administration. The drug has a plasma halflife of approximately 12 hours and is currently under investigation as an anti-arrhythmic agent for patients with ventricular ectopic beats. It appears that in patients with life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, tocainide is a safe agent with a favourable risk-benefit ratio.' The adverse experiences that have been reported include neurological and gastrointestinal complaints.2 However, recent reports have suggested that tocainide therapy might be associated with interstitial pneumonitis.2 3 We record here the occurrence of acute alveolitis in a patient two months after starting tocainide therapy.