Digoxin concentrations in serum and saliva: relationship to ECG changes and dosage in healthy volunteers.
After 1 week of baseline observations increasing oral doses of digoxin were administered to four healthy volunteers over a 6-7 week period. A dose-response relationship exists with regards to PTQ-changes (a quantitative measure of ECG-changes). PTQ-changes were related linearly to both serum and salivary digoxin levels. PTQ-changes appear to be useful as a non-invasive measure for studying various aspects of digoxin pharmacodynamics. Serial salivary digoxin levels might be a better index of the effect of cardiac glycosides than individual or serial serum levels.
Department of Pharmacology, University of the Orange Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein, South Africa 9300.
P H
PH
Joubert
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Aucamp
F O
FO
Müller
D000328:Adult; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004077:Digoxin / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012463:Saliva / Q000378:metabolism*
D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004077:Digoxin