title: Effect of autonomic blockade on digoxin-induced ECG changes at rest and during exercise in healthy subjects.
abstract: The effect of pharmacological autonomic blockade on digoxin-induced electrocardiographic changes at rest and during exercise was studied in nine healthy men. The subjects performed bicycle exercise tests on four occasions after: (1) intravenous injection of sodium chloride, (2) intravenous injection of propranolol and atropine, (3) oral ingestion of digoxin 0.5 mg daily for 2 weeks and intravenous injection of sodium chloride, and (4) oral ingestion of digoxin 0.5 mg daily for 2 weeks and intravenous injection of propranolol and atropine. The ST-T segment was significantly depressed after digoxin plus sodium chloride and digoxin plus propranolol and atropine in comparison with sodium chloride only and propranolol and atropine only. The digoxin-induced ST-T changes after sodium chloride and propranolol-atropine injections were not significantly different. Thus, judging from the results of this study, an effect mediated via the autonomic nervous system is an unlikely explanation of digitalis-induced ST-T changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm, Sweden.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sundqvist
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jogestrand
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001340:Autonomic Nerve Block; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005080:Exercise Test; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D004077:Digoxin; D001285:Atropine; D011433:Propranolol