title: When, and when not, to use digoxin in the elderly.
abstract: Digitalis has been widely used in the treatment of cardiac disease for more than 200 years. The present article reviews the current role of digitalis in the management of heart failure and atrial fibrillation (AF) in light of recent study findings. Generally, first-line therapy for the management of heart failure due to systolic dysfunction should include an ACE inhibitor and a diuretic. In patients who remain symptomatic despite the use of these drugs, the addition of digoxin should be considered. Because digoxin has been shown to reduce the number of hospital admissions attributable to worsening heart failure, more liberal use of digoxin in the management of heart failure may be justified. Digoxin may be adequate as monotherapy for ventricular rate control in patients with chronic AF, particularly in sedentary and elderly patients. A beta-blocker or calcium antagonist (either alone or in combination with digoxin) is indicated when digoxin is ineffective for ventricular rate control. Digoxin is ineffective in restoring sinus rhythm, preventing paroxysms or controlling rate in paroxysmal AF. The elderly are at an increased risk of digoxin toxicity. Low dosages of digoxin appear to be effective in the treatment of heart failure due to systolic dysfunction and may reduce the incidence of digitalis toxicity in these patients. In elderly patients with AF and inadequate rate control who are receiving digitalis monotherapy, adding another atrioventricular nodal blocking drug may be more appropriate than increasing the digoxin dose, in order to avoid toxic digoxin levels.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology/Thoraxcenter, University Hospital Groningen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Gosselink
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: van Veldhuisen
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Crijns
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000188:drug therapy*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004304:Dosage Forms; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004347:Drug Interactions; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004304:Dosage Forms; D004077:Digoxin