title: Digoxin-quinidine and digoxin-amiodarone interactions: frequency of occurrence and monitoring in Australian repatriation hospitals.
abstract: An extensive scrutiny of 19,460 patients' charts was carried out by clinical pharmacists in six Australian Repatriation Hospitals. The incidence of the prescribing of digoxin-quinidine and digoxin-amiodarone combinations was 0.18% and 0.22% of patients, respectively, giving an overall level of 0.4% (4/1000). For both combinations, digoxin was prescribed long term in 81% of the cases and quinidine or amiodarone recently added to digoxin therapy in 44% of patients identified. Therapeutic drug monitoring of digoxin therapy was initiated by clinical pharmacists in 41% of patients and resulted in modifications to digoxin therapy in 63% of this sub-group of patients. Quinidine and amiodarone therapies were also changed in nine patients. Of particular note was the number (15 or 58%) of dosage changes or therapy cessations made to digoxin therapy for patients also receiving amiodarone which occurred as a result of clinical pharmacist intervention.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacy, Repatriation General Hospital, Nedlands, Western Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Freitag
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bebee
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Sunderland
mesh_terms: D000042:Absorption; D000638:Amiodarone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006801:Humans; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010607:Pharmacy Service, Hospital; D011802:Quinidine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D004077:Digoxin; D011802:Quinidine; D000638:Amiodarone