title: Amiodarone-digoxin interaction: clinical significance, time course of development, potential pharmacokinetic mechanisms and therapeutic implications.
abstract: Administration of amiodarone (600 to 1,600 mg/day) to 28 patients during long-term digoxin therapy (0.25 +/- 0.05 mg/day) increased serum digoxin level from 0.97 +/- 0.45 to 1.98 +/- 0.84 ng/ml (p less than 0.001). Gastrointestinal side effects occurred in nine patients, central nervous system reactions occurred in five and cardiovascular reactions occurred in four. Pharmacokinetic studies in six patients with a 1 mg intravenous digoxin dose before and during amiodarone therapy increased serum digoxin level at 30 minutes from 8.59 +/- 1.68 to 10.07 +/- 1.70 ng/ml (p less than 0.05). Amiodarone caused a 31% prolongation of digoxin elimination half-life from 49.5 +/- 8.8 to 65.0 +/- 28.8 hours, but the increase in half-life was not statistically significant. Total body clearance was reduced significantly (29%, p less than 0.05) from 2.05 +/- 0.76 to 1.46 +/- 0.64 ml/min per kg. Nonrenal clearance also showed a significant decrease (33%, p less than 0.05) from 1.20 +/- 0.46 to 0.80 +/- 0.30 ml/min per kg. The renal clearance decreased by 22% and the volume of distribution decreased by 11% after amiodarone therapy, but these changes were not significant. The data show that the mechanism of digoxin-amiodarone interaction is multifactorial and emphasize the need for close monitoring of serum digoxin levels and clinical features during concurrent digoxin-amiodarone therapy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001572:Benzofurans / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013610:Tachycardia / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D001572:Benzofurans; D004077:Digoxin; D000638:Amiodarone