title: Is a slow pulse-rate a reliable sign of digitalis toxicity?
abstract: 64 of 910 hospital patients taking digoxin had a ventricular rate of less than 60 beats/min. In only 6 out of 57 of those investigated further could a diagnosis of digoxin toxicity be made on clinical, electrocardiographic, and biochemical grounds. No reason for the slow heart-rate could be found in 42 patients. Excessive vagal effects of digoxin in resting subjects may cause the bradycardia found in these in patients in the absence of digitalis toxicity.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000139:chemically induced; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000139:chemically induced; D001919:Bradycardia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D002648:Child; D003864:Depression, Chemical; D004077:Digoxin / Q000633:toxicity*; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation; D006327:Heart Block / Q000139:chemically induced; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011674:Pulse / Q000187:drug effects*; D012146:Rest; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D004077:Digoxin