Digoxin use in Modern Medicine

[EngMac]

This is on the Medscape site and could be of interest to anyone taking digoxin or anyone to whom a doctor recommends taking it. It seems this drug should be used with extra caution, especially the older the person is.

medscape.com/viewarticle/84...

[BobD Volunteer]

True. Little used in UK for AF anyway.

[EngMac in reply to BobD]

One example of use in the UK was in the Daily Mail article about the Watchman. This gentlemen was prescribed it.

[Vdl1 in reply to BobD]

Hi Bob....as you may remember...I was discharged ten years ago...told to come back at 75 and ....thank goodness that's still a long way away...I take digoxin ...bisopral and losarten....I'm still non symptomatic ...in good health...golf ski and cycle....but in perm af ....should I ask to change medication or just keep trucking away....my G P is a dote but never mentions my af ...I self check my inr ....not worried but interested in your opinion....

[BobD Volunteer in reply to Vdl1]

I don't have one as I have never taken it but understand that it isn't really and AF type drug although may be useful for some people. Things have moved on a lot ion ten years.

[Thomps95]

Last October my cardiologist recommended I supplement my daily flecenaide with digoxin, and I had the most alarming reaction - my pulse felt very irregular (though not in fibrillation), pounding, almost bursting through my chest, a deeply unnerving and dangerous feeling, as though I'd been poisoned or having a heart attack. I stuck with it for two days feeling dreadful, but ultimately bailed out and threw out the prescription.

I haven't felt the need to take anything other than flecenaide, but will be seeing my cardiologist in a few weeks and will see what he thinks. Digoxin feels like a very dangerous drug, at least for me. However, I gather some people find it helpful.

[Offcut]

Interesting post I have AF and PAH with a few other things thrown in. As it states with PAH there is little study with it but has been found to help reduce pressure with additional CCB. Which I have recently been changed to. So in my case not all bad? Even though I still feel rough

Be Well

[Mrspat]

I have been taking Digoxin for nearly a year in addition to Bisoprolol. I feel well and the combination has kept my heart rate below 80 bpm and usually below 70 bpm. The alternative that I was offered was Bisoprolol and Amiodarone. This also worked for me in the past but the Amiodarone gave me side effects and ruined my thyroid. When I go for my yearly cardio check up in July, I will be interested to see what they say.