Assessing achievement of optimal therapeutic mexiletine concentrations
Assessing potential mexiletine toxicity
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
Mexitil (Mexiletine)
Serum Red
Patient Preparation: Specimens should only be collected after patient has been receiving mexiletine for at least 3 days. Trough concentrations should be collected just before administration of the next dose.
Supplies: Sarstedt Aliquot Tube, 5 mL (T914)
Collection Container/Tube: Red top (serum gel/SST are not acceptable)
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 1.5 mL
Collection Instructions:
1. Draw blood immediately before next scheduled dose.
2. Centrifuge and aliquot serum into a plastic vial within 2 hours of collection.
If not ordering electronically, complete, print, and send a Therapeutics Test Request (T831) with the specimen.
0.5 mL
Gross hemolysis | OK |
Gross lipemia | OK |
Gross icterus | OK |
Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
---|---|---|---|
Serum Red | Refrigerated (preferred) | 28 days | |
Ambient | 28 days | ||
Frozen | 28 days |
Assessing achievement of optimal therapeutic mexiletine concentrations
Assessing potential mexiletine toxicity
Mexiletine is a class I B antiarrhythmic with electrophysiologic properties similar to lidocaine and is useful in suppression of ventricular arrhythmias.
The drug exhibits a high degree of oral bioavailability, is approximately 60% protein bound, and undergoes renal clearance. Mexiletine has a volume of distribution of approximately 6 L/kg and a half-life of approximately 11 hours. Myocardial infarction and uremia reduce the rate of clearance and increase the half-life of mexiletine, requiring dosage adjustment guided by drug monitoring.
Mexiletine toxicity can occur at concentrations above 2.0 mcg/mL (trough value) and is characterized by symptoms of nausea, hypotension, sinus bradycardia, paresthesia, seizures, intermittent left bundle branch block, and temporary asystole.
Trough Value
0.5-2.0 mcg/mL: Therapeutic concentration
>2.0 mcg/mL: Toxic concentration
Optimal response to mexiletine occurs when the serum concentration is within the range of 0.5 to 2.0 mcg/mL (trough value).
Specimens that are obtained from gel tubes or anticoagulate collections can cause assay interference.
1. Milone MC, Shaw LM. Therapeutic drugs and their management. In: Rifai N, Chiu RWK, Young I, Burnham CAD, Wittwer CT, eds. Tietz Textbook of Laboratory Medicine. 7th ed. Elsevier; 2023:420-453
2. Josephson ME, Buxton AE, Marchlinski FE. The tachyarrhythmias: tachycardias. In: Wilson JD, Braunwald E, Isselbacher KJ, et al, eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 12th ed. McGraw-Hill Book Company; 1991:915
3. Valdes R Jr, Jortani SA, Gheorghiade M. Standards of laboratory practice: cardiac drug monitoring. National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry. Clin Chem. 1998;44(5):1096-1099
4. Joseph SP, Holt DW: Electrophysiological properties of mexiletine assessed with respect to plasma concentrations. Eur J Cardiol. 1980;11(2):115-121
Protein is precipitated from serum and following centrifugation the supernatant is diluted and analyzed by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry.(Unpublished Mayo method)
Monday through Friday
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.
80299
Test Id | Test Order Name | Order LOINC Value |
---|---|---|
MEX | Mexiletine, S | 40779-1 |
Result Id | Test Result Name |
Result LOINC Value
Applies only to results expressed in units of measure originally reported by the performing laboratory. These values do not apply to results that are converted to other units of measure.
|
---|---|---|
9245 | Mexiletine, S | 40779-1 |