title: [Ambulatory therapeutic noncompliance of the aged treated with digoxin].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify the percentage of out-patient doses (OPD) of Digoxin taken by elderly people in treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  An observational, longitudinal and retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Out-patient clinics at a geriatric hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  67 patients were treated orally with Digoxin: 39 women; age 79 +/- 6; ideal weight, 55.7 Kg +/- 7.1; plasma creatinine, 1.3 +/- 0.9 mg/dl; in-hospital dose 3247.6 +/- 1309.4 ng/Kg; out-patient dose, 3205.7 +/- 1359.9 ng/Kg. They had two consecutive Digoxinemias, one in and one out of hospital, with an interval of 1 to 18 months between them.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Therapeutic compliance was calculated by comparing the Digoxinemia/dose relationship per Kg of the ideal in-hospital weight against the non-hospital one. 37.3% of the patients ingested 80 to 110% of the OPD (95% CI, 26.7%-49.3%). The 36 patients on a constant dosage took 74.3% +/- 34.1% of the OPD, whereas the 31 not on a daily dose took 87.7% +/- 25.3% (P < 0.07).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Non-compliance is common and hard to detect clinically. Therefore, it is dangerous to adjust the dose of non-compliant patients only on the basis of Digoxinemias or effects of the medicine, or on the doctor's view about compliance.
authors.affiliation: Unidad de Farmacología Clínica, Hospital Virgen de la Salud, Complejo Hospitalario de Toledo.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cuena Boy
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Ortiz de Apodaca Ruiz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010045:Outpatients; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016312:Treatment Refusal
chemical_list: D000889:Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004077:Digoxin
vernacular_title: Incumplimiento terapéutico ambulatorio en ancianos tratados con digoxina.