Introduction

Name

• Digoxin.

Class of drug

• Cardiac glycoside.

Description

Chemical name

• (3-beta,5-beta,12-beta)-3-[(O-2,6-dideoxy-beta-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-O-2,6-dideoxy-beta-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl-(1 → 4)-2,6-dideoxy-beta-D-ribo-hexopyranosyl)oxy]-12,14-dihydroxycard-20(22)-enolide.

Molecular formula

• C41H64O14.

Physical properties

• Tablets.
• Solution.

Uses

Indications

• Heart failure Heart: congestive heart failure.
• Supraventricular tachycardia Heart: atrial fibrillation.

Administration

Pharmacokinetics

Precautions

Interactions

with other drugs

• Antacids Aluminum antacid.
• Chemotherapy agents, eg cyclophosphamide, cytarabine, doxorubicin, vinca alkaloids.
• Cimetidine Cimetidine.
• Metoclopramide Metoclopramide.

• Acetazolamide Acetazolamide.
• Antimuscarinics.
• Diazepam Diazepam.
• Erythromycin Erythromycin.
• Loop and thiazide diuretics (hypokalaemia) Furosemide.
• Quinidine Quinidine.
• Tetracycline Tetracycline.
• Verapamil Verapamil.

• Spironalactone Spironolactone may enhance or decrease the toxic effects of digoxin.

Adverse Reactions

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.

Other sources of information

• Based on Small Animal Formulary. Tennant Bryn (1999) 3rd edn. Cheltenham: BSAVA.
• Hogan D F & Sisson D D (1999) Therapeutic monitoring of dogs treated with Digoxin. IN:ACVIM Proceedings 1999. Abstract 79.