Digitalis in heart failure! Still applicable?
In patients with heart failure and atrial fibrillation cardiac glycosides, generally in combination with beta-blockers, are indicated to control ventricular rate. In systolic heart failure and sinus rhythm, however, the use of digitalis continues to be debated. There are special concerns that cardiac glycosides might lead to an increased mortality rate in women. Retrospective analyses, however, do not indicate any sex-based differences in the effectiveness of cardiac glycosides. Beneficial effects of cardiac glycosides in heart failure seem to be related to the attenuation of sympathetic activation and neurohumoral alterations, which is already obtained at low digoxin serum concentrations, while high serum levels are associated with increased mortality. Therefore, in patients with sinus rhythm who remain symptomatic under an optimized therapy with ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers and diuretics in addition to digitalis should be considered regardless of the gender. However, target serum digoxin concentrations should be low in a range of 0.5 to 0.8 ng/ml.
Hoppe
U C
UC
Department of Internal Medicine III, University of Cologne, Kerpener Str. 62, 50937 Cologne, Germany. uta.hoppe@uni-koeln.de
Erdmann
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E
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D004071:Digitalis Glycosides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D016019:Survival Analysis; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D004071:Digitalis Glycosides; D004077:Digoxin