digoxin afib

[CFS56]

How effective is digoxin for afib?  I have read conflicting information.

[tom_h]

There are certain instances where digoxin might be indicated.  I believe it makes the heart pump more forcefully, so it might be used if heart failure was suspected.  I hope all goes well for him.

[CFS56]

My husband went into a fib on Friday and they put him on it.  He converted while in the ER and was told to take it in addition to his beta blocker.  They had given him a pretty large dose of it while in the ER and he took 3 doses of the pill...he started feeling pretty bad.  He went to his regular cardiologist today and he ran a blood test to check for toxicity and took him off of it. It sounds like a very nasty drug...thanks for the info.  I can't understand why he was put on it.  He has had a heart attack and bypass surgery but I don't think that would make digoxin the only alternative with so many other drugs out there.

[tom_h]

Here's my completely unprofessional opinion on what I know about digoxin, and I took it for a number of years as a kid for SVT.  It's an old drug that's been used literally for centuries. I took it back in 1957.  It's inherently toxic and if that fact was not enough to curtail its use, there's evidence that suggests the drug, even at dosages normally considered safe, can cause visual problems, serious skin rashes, and may significantly aggravate asthma.  Also of particular concern for women is the recent finding that digoxin increases the risk of breast cancer among postmenopausal women. The researchers found that the use of digoxin for at least a year was associated with a 30% greater risk of being diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Digoxin has a very narrow threputic window. Many patients start on a dosage of  250 mg per day. But this is often too little for some patients and too much for others. It takes very careful experimentation to find just the right dosage.  There are so many adverse side effects, and with so many new modern alternatives available, my physician would have to a lot of explaining to do in order for me to take it today.