Monitoring digoxin therapy. The use of plasma digoxin concentration measurements in the diagnosis of digoxin toxicity. 1978

J K Aronson, and D G Grahame-Smith, and F M Wigley

The usefulness of measuring plasma digoxin concentrations in the diagnosis of digoxin toxicity has been assessed in 83 in-patients. The mean plasma digoxin concentration in clinically toxic patients was significantly higher than the mean concentration in non-toxic patients. The overlap between the groups, however, was extensive and could partly be accounted for by hypokalaemia in those toxic patients whose plasma digoxin concentration was less than 3 ng/ml. There was, in addition, a higher incidence of hyperkalaemia, without obvious cause, in toxic patients than in non-toxic patients. Consideration of the incidence of various non-cardiac factors, specifically plasma potassium concentration greater than 5.0 mmol/l, plasma creatinine concentration greater than 150 mumol/l, daily maintenance dose greater than 6 microgram/kg, and age greater than 60 years, led to the development of guidelines to aid in the diagnosis of digoxin toxicity. Patients with plasma digoxin concentration greater than 3 ng/ml or with hypokalaemia should be considered probably toxic and those with plasma digoxin concentration greater than or equal to 3 ng/ml in the absence of hypokalaemia should only be considered toxic if they have at least two of the non-cardiac factors outlined above. Plasma digoxin concentrations could not be predicted with more than 31 per cent certainty by considering the magnitude of those non-cardiac factors.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D011188 Potassium An element in the alkali group of metals with an atomic symbol K, atomic number 19, and atomic weight 39.10. It is the chief cation in the intracellular fluid of muscle and other cells. Potassium ion is a strong electrolyte that plays a significant role in the regulation of fluid volume and maintenance of the WATER-ELECTROLYTE BALANCE.
D003404 Creatinine Creatinine Sulfate Salt,Krebiozen,Salt, Creatinine Sulfate,Sulfate Salt, Creatinine
D004077 Digoxin A cardiotonic glycoside obtained mainly from Digitalis lanata; it consists of three sugars and the aglycone DIGOXIGENIN. Digoxin has positive inotropic and negative chronotropic activity. It is used to control ventricular rate in ATRIAL FIBRILLATION and in the management of congestive heart failure with atrial fibrillation. Its use in congestive heart failure and sinus rhythm is less certain. The margin between toxic and therapeutic doses is small. (From Martindale, The Extra Pharmacopoeia, 30th ed, p666) Digacin,Digitek,Digoregen,Digoxina Boehringer,Digoxine Nativelle,Dilanacin,Hemigoxine Nativelle,Lanacordin,Lanicor,Lanoxicaps,Lanoxin,Lanoxin-PG,Lenoxin,Mapluxin,Boehringer, Digoxina,Lanoxin PG,Nativelle, Digoxine,Nativelle, Hemigoxine
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000368 Aged A person 65 years of age or older. For a person older than 79 years, AGED, 80 AND OVER is available. Elderly
D001145 Arrhythmias, Cardiac Any disturbances of the normal rhythmic beating of the heart or MYOCARDIAL CONTRACTION. Cardiac arrhythmias can be classified by the abnormalities in HEART RATE, disorders of electrical impulse generation, or impulse conduction. Arrhythmia,Arrythmia,Cardiac Arrhythmia,Cardiac Arrhythmias,Cardiac Dysrhythmia,Arrhythmia, Cardiac,Dysrhythmia, Cardiac

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