Acetylation of procaine amide in man. A preliminary communication.

The metabolism of procaine amide was studied in 41 cardiac patients who had achieved steady state plasma concentrations of the drug. Acetylated procaine amide accounted for 31 +/- 12% (range 16-63%) of the overall urinary recovery of the drug and is therefore a main metabolite in man. Plasma levels of the metabolite were usually lower but sometimes exceeded those of the parent compound with variations between 1 and 15 mug/ml. The metabolite had a weaker effect than procaine amide on the maximal electrical driving velocity of isolated atrial strips from guinea pig.