A prospective study of the clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in elderly patients.
The study was a prospective observational trial carried out to assess the clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in elderly patients chronically taking digoxin. Digoxin concentrations were determined before and after concomitant treatment with clarithromycin. A Bayesian approach was used to calculate digoxin pharmacokinetics. In the seven patients who were studied there was a significant increase in digoxin concentration after 4-7 days of clarithromycin treatment; digoxin clearance and elimination rate constant were 56-60% lower and elimination half-life was 82% longer. The pharmacokinetic clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in the elderly may be much more frequent than has been assumed up to now.
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001499:Bayes Theorem; D017291:Clarithromycin / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004077:Digoxin / Q000097:blood / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004347:Drug Interactions / Q000502:physiology; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010361:Patients / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011446:Prospective Studies
D004077:Digoxin; D017291:Clarithromycin