Drug Information
Generic Name:
Lidocaine
Pronunciation:
LYE-doe-kane
Product Name:
Xylocaine
Category:
Antidysrhythmic Drugs
How is it given?:
intravenous (IV), intramuscular (IM) (rarely), topically
Uses:
Irregular heart beats
Comment:
Lidocaine decreases dangerous heart rhythm disturbances. It is most commonly used for this purpose in the setting of a heart attack (acute myocardial infarction) or in conditions during which the heart muscle is not getting enough blood flow (cardiac ischemia). Lidocaine is also a numbing medicine (local anesthetic) and as such is used in a wide variety of procedures to decrease pain.