Comparative Pharmacology
Head-to-head clinical analysis: LIDOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE W EPINEPHRINE versus PROCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE.
Peer-Reviewed Evidence
Head-to-head clinical analysis: LIDOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE W EPINEPHRINE versus PROCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE.
LIDOCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE W/ EPINEPHRINE vs PROCAINE HYDROCHLORIDE
Comparing the clinical profiles, pharmacokinetic behaviors, and safety indices of these two therapeutic agents.
Lidocaine is a sodium channel blocker that inhibits voltage-gated sodium channels, preventing depolarization and conduction of nerve impulses. Epinephrine is an alpha- and beta-adrenergic agonist that causes vasoconstriction, reducing systemic absorption of lidocaine and prolonging local anesthetic effect.
Blocks voltage-gated sodium channels, inhibiting nerve impulse conduction by stabilizing the neuronal membrane and preventing depolarization.
Local anesthesia: 1-5 mL of 1% or 2% solution with epinephrine 1:100,000 or 1:200,000; maximum dose 7 mg/kg lidocaine (500 mg without epinephrine, 7 mg/kg with epinephrine) per procedure. Intravenous: 1-1.5 mg/kg bolus for ventricular arrhythmias, followed by continuous infusion 1-4 mg/min.
Local infiltration: 0.5% solution, up to 200 mg (40 mL) per dose. Nerve block: 0.5% solution, 100-200 mg (20-40 mL) per dose. Intravenous regional anesthesia (Bier block): 0.5% solution, 50-100 mg (10-20 mL) per dose. Maximum total dose: 200 mg without epinephrine, 250 mg with epinephrine 1:200,000.
None Documented
None Documented
Terminal half-life 1.5-2 hours (single dose), prolonged to 2-3 hours with continuous infusion; in heart failure or hepatic cirrhosis, half-life may exceed 5 hours.
Terminal elimination half-life is approximately 7.7 minutes in adults with normal hepatic function. This short half-life reflects rapid hydrolysis by plasma pseudocholinesterases. In patients with pseudocholinesterase deficiency, half-life may be prolonged to 20-30 minutes.
Renal: unchanged drug <10%, major metabolites (MEGX and GX) ~70% renal; biliary: <10% fecal; total clearance ~10-20 mL/min/kg. Renal impairment prolongs elimination of metabolites.
Primarily renal excretion of metabolites (para-aminobenzoic acid and diethylaminoethanol) and unchanged drug. Approximately 80% of a dose is excreted in urine as para-aminobenzoic acid and conjugates; <2% excreted unchanged. Biliary/fecal elimination is negligible.
Category A/B
Category C
Local Anesthetic / Antiarrhythmic (Class Ib)
Local Anesthetic