UNIT DOSES, AEROSOLS, KITS, AND METHODS FOR TREATING HEART CONDITIONS BY PULMONARY ADMINISTRATION
Methods of treating atrial arrhythmia include administering an effective amount of at least one antiarrhythmic pharmaceutical agent to a patient in need thereof such that the at least one antiarrhythmic pharmaceutical agent first enters the heart through the pulmonary vein to the left atrium. Other methods of treating atrial arrhythmia include administering by inhalation an effective amount of at least one antiarrhythmic pharmaceutical agent to a patient in need thereof. An amount of the at least one antiarrhythmic pharmaceutical agent may peak in the coronary sinus of the heart at a time ranging from 10 seconds to 30 minutes from initiation of the administering. Unit doses, aerosols, and kits are also contemplated.
1 . A aerosolized pharmaceutical composition, comprising an amount of flecainide, a salt, a solvate, or an enantiomer thereof, wherein the amount of flecainide is effective when the pharmaceutical composition is inhaled by a subject experiencing atrial arrhythmia via aerosolization for cardioversion of the atrial arrhythmia in the subject.
2 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein the cardioversion converts the atrial arrhythmia in the subject to normal sinus rhythm.
3 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein the atrial arrhythmia comprises paroxysmal atrial fibrillation.
4 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of flecainide is less than a second amount of flecainide that is effective when administered intravenously for cardioversion of the atrial arrhythmia in the subject.
5 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of flecainide, when inhaled, is equivalent to a second amount of flecainide for intravenous administration.
6 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of flecainide is between 0.5 mg and 150 mg.
7 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of flecainide is between 1 mg and 100 mg.
8 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of flecainide is higher than a second concentration of flecainide that is effective when administered intravenously for cardioversion of the atrial arrhythmia in the subject.
9 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein a concentration of flecainide is at least about 30 mg/mL.
10 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , comprising the solvate of flecainide, wherein the solvate comprises a solvent selected from the group consisting of: water, isopropanol, ethanol, methanol, DMSO, ethyl acetate, acetic acid, ethanolamine, and combinations thereof
11 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , further comprising a pharmaceutically acceptable excipient.
12 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 11 , wherein the pharmaceutically acceptable excipient comprises acetic acid, sodium hydroxide, or both.
13 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein a pH of the pharmaceutical composition is between 4.5 to 7.0.
14 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the pharmaceutical composition is between 1 to 3 mL.
15 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , comprising flecainide acetate.
16 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , wherein the subject is human.
17 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 , comprising particles that have a mass median aerodynamic diameter less than about 20 μm.
18 . The pharmaceutical composition of claim 17 , wherein the mass median aerodynamic diameter is less than about 5 μm.
19 . A method of treating atrial arrhythmia, comprising: administering the pharmaceutical composition of claim 1 to the subject experiencing atrial arrhythmia via inhalation for cardioversion of the atrial arrhythmia in the subject.
20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein a dosing time of the administering is less than 10 minutes.