title: [Clinical aspects of severe digitalis poisoning and its treatment with and without digoxin-specific antibodies. 3 case reports].
abstract: Although elevated digitalis concentrations are often observed, symptomatic intoxications occur less frequently. We report the course in three patients with extremely elevated digitalis concentrations as examples of the poor correlation between measured serum levels and symptoms. In view of the cost of treatment by fab-fragments and the lack of a close dose-related effect of digitalis, we suggest restricting the use of fab-fragment therapy to patients with severe hyperkalemia or hemodynamically relevant arrhythmias.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Intensivmedizin, Departement Innere Medizin, Kantonsspital Basel.
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Haefeli
authors.forename: R F
authors.initials: RF
authors.lastname: Ritz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004074:Digitoxin / Q000506:poisoning; D004077:Digoxin / Q000276:immunology / Q000506:poisoning*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D011041:Poisoning / Q000628:therapy; D013406:Suicide, Attempted
chemical_list: D007140:Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; C050199:digoxin antibodies Fab fragments; D004077:Digoxin; D004074:Digitoxin
vernacular_title: Klinik schwerer Digitalisintoxikationen und ihre Behandlung mit und ohne digoxinspezifische Antikörper. 3 Fallberichte.