Propafenone-induced ataxia: Report of three cases

Propafenone is an effective antiarrhythmic drug used widely for the treatme nt of supraventricular and ventricular arrhythmias. Although it is generall y well tolerated, 30 to 45% of patients may experience adverse cardiac effe cts. in 15 to 20% of patients, adverse effects may involve other organ syst ems. A wide variety of adverse central nervous system effects have been rep orted in association with propafenone; dizziness is the most common. Ataxia caused by propafenone has been reported to the pharmaceutical companies an d drug monitoring agencies, but has not been well described or emphasized i n the medical literature. We describe 3 elderly patients with moderate to s evere ataxia that occurred while they were taking propafenone.