Guest guest Posted August 23, 2004 Report Share Posted August 23, 2004 >(snip) What has been your experience with Digoxin and have >you had your Digoxin levels checked. > Dutch... Dutch: My mother recently was hospitalized with digitalis toxicity. I have found that it is very common (and by some estimates accounts for 1 of 10 hospital admissons of the elderly). Here is some information from medicinenet.com --- DRUG INTERACTIONS: There is little cushion between a therapeutically beneficial level of digoxin and a toxic level of digoxin. Digoxin toxicity is common, especially in patients with kidney dysfunction. Digoxin toxicity can cause potentially life- threatening heart rhythm disturbances, ranging from very slow to rapid ventricular rhythms. In patients with existing disease of the electrical conduction of the heart, digoxin can precipitate heart block and a seriously slow heart rate. Patients with low blood potassium levels can develop digoxin toxicity even when digoxin levels are not considered elevated. Similarly, high calcium and low magnesium blood levels can increase digoxin toxicity and produce serious heart rhythm disturbances. Drugs such as quinidine, verapamil (Calan), and amiodarone (Cordarone) can increase digoxin levels and the risk of toxicity. The co-administration of digoxin and beta blockers, such as Inderal, or calcium channel blockers, such as Calan, can cause serious slowing of the heart rate. H, Charlotte NC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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