title: Use of cholestyramine in three patients with beta-acetyldigoxin, beta-methyldigoxin and digitoxin intoxication.
abstract: The effect of cholestyramine (8 g every 6 h by oral administration) on glycoside plasma concentrations of three patients with suicidal and accidental digitalis intoxications were studied. During treatment with cholestyramine the plasma concentrations of beta-acetyldigoxin and beta-methyldigoxin declined with half-lives of 20.4 or 30.0 h. These values are significantly shorter than the therapeutic half-lives reported in the literature. The digitoxin plasma concentration decreased with a half-life of 74.5 h during the first 2 days. When the digitoxin plasma level dropped under 40 ng/ml, the half-life increased, similar to the half-life without cholestyramine administration. From these case reports cholestyramine seems to be helpful in managing intoxications with digoxin derivates as well as with digitoxin.
mesh_terms: D000113:Acetyldigoxins / Q000506:poisoning*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004074:Digitoxin / Q000097:blood / Q000506:poisoning*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006027:Glycosides / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008520:Medigoxin / Q000506:poisoning*; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000113:Acetyldigoxins; D006027:Glycosides; D002792:Cholestyramine Resin; D004077:Digoxin; D004074:Digitoxin; D008520:Medigoxin