DIGOXIN - Digoxin

Digoxin Used For

Digoxin (Lanoxin) is prescribed for treatment of patients who have suffered mild to moderate heart failure. The drug is also indicated for patients with chronic atrial fibrillation for the control of ventricular response rate.

Directions for Digoxin

Digoxin dosages may require considerable modification because sensitivity of individual patients to the drug vary. Dosage considerations also include presence of associated conditions as well as the patients' existing use of other related and unrelated medications.

How Digoxin Lanoxin works

The drug may cause severe sinus bradycardia or sinoatrial block in patients with pre-existing sinus node disease and may cause advanced or complete heart block in patients with pre-existing incomplete AV block. Before treating such patients with Lanoxin, it is advisable to insert a pacemaker. Patients with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation or flutter and a coexisting accessory AV pathway who were given digoxin intravenously developed increased antegrade conduction across the accessory pathway bypassing the AV node. This could lead to rapid ventricular response or ventricular fibrillation. The drug should not be used in such patients unless conduction down the accessory pathway has been blocked (either pharmacologically or by surgery).

Side effects of Digoxin Lanoxin

Digoxin may produce anorexia, nausea, vomitting, diarrhea, and CNS disturbances in young patients. Other side effects that require immediate medical attention include palpitation, ventricular extrasystole, tachycardia, heart arrest, dizziness, mental disturbances.

Other Digoxin Information

A missed dose of Lanoxin, if remembered within 12 hours should be taken at the earliest. But if missed altogether, the next does should not be doubled. It is advisable to continue with the regular dosing schedule instead. If 2 or more doses are missed in a row, it is advisable to check with a doctor first before continuing with the schedule.