Side effects of digoxin in elderly
Common Questions and Answers about Side effects of digoxin in elderly
digitek
A woman in her 80s, hx hypertension but mostly in good health. She was walking for around 40 minutes. She was feeling weak and had to take breaks on her way home. When she arrived home she had an episode of tachycardia (158) with BP (144/71) (not sure if it started while walking). She had no chest pain, only palpitations and general weakness. She took 1 mg digoxin PO and eventually the episode resolved.
of coumedin, Lopressor, 260mg of cardizam, and 40 mill of lasix because of severe swelling in fingers, legs and ankles, all of which she never had prior. She went from yearly checkups to lab and office visits every few days.
My question is, considering her good health overall, do you think she may be better off with less potent meds which seem to be placing her in more peril. She had a five pound wieght gain last week!
A comparison of verapamil, propranolol and digoxin showed equivalent efficacy in a small group of patients. However, in general calcium channel blockers and beta-blockers are preferred to digoxin. Digoxin has been around for a long time! I used Digoxin over 50 years ago for my PSVT, and my recollection was that it did little to prevent episodes. There are so many newer drugs now that are far more effective.
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.
I have undergone an unsuccessful cardioversion and for the past 2 years I have been prescribed atenolol, flecainide and now digoxin to help control my af. None of these drugs seem to have an effect on my af.
Can you please advise me if there ios a cure for af?
Jonser
This discussion is related to <a href='/posts/show/253630'>Ventrical</a>.
Using Klonopin together with Elavil may add to dizziness, drowsiness, breathing problems, and other side effects ( in addition to the the individual numerous drug side effects).
---Source: Drug Interaction Checker
Klonopin is in a class of drugs called Benzodiapezines.
Benzodiapezines are contraindicated when suffering from depression,
however, anxiety999, you would have to discuss it perhaps with the prescribing doctor.
Here is the link to the Heart Rhythum Community: http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/92
and
Heart Disease Community:
http://www.medhelp.org/forums/show/72
I'll let the CL of those communities know you may stop by!
My elderly mom has been having some pretty severe episodes of anxiety/confusion over the past couple of weeks. We've initiated contact with her doctors who are doing their thing, but of course nothing moves as fast as we'd like in situations like this.
Her life is pretty much consistent every single day, same habits, same foods, same tv shows, etc. These episodes have been happening every *second* day, in mid afternoon.
I am being met with resistance and am concerned that the attending physician is completely in the dark about several studies regarding the negative effects of these particular drugs in elderly patients with dementia, or any helpful alternatives. Are there any alternatives to using antipsychotic medications in this case? I have a hard time believing he is being kept in this state for other than that it makes him less work for the staff. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
This last week, I am feeling very good other than the med side effects. You mentioned that you have had some severe side effects, what are your effects like please? I am going to a new doctor on Thursday for a second opinion on the meds and regarding the ICD that the other cardio wants me to consider. Thanks for posting your notes and for any advice you may have on the toprol.
They prescribed Digoxin, a leading edge drug at the time. That was back in 1957...... Digoxin has some side effects. It has a very long half life, so it can slowly build up in your blood. Given the side effects and the fact there are so many more modern medications, If it were me, I'd refuse to take it. Lopressor aka. Metoprolol is commonly given today for among other things, SVT. It's a modern (although pretty mature) beta blocker. Lot's of us are prescribed it.
Diagnosed by tilt table with P.O.T.S. in 2004, I suspect I have that form of P.O.T.S. (hyperadrenergic) due to various abnormal catecholamine type numbers in a number of lab tests. Medicines that were tried and discontinued for either side effects or not helping- lopressor, florinef, midodrine, and verapamil. Currently, I am not being treated by any physician for my P.O.T.S..
After my heart attack 6 years ago, I was on digitek for a few months only. The known side effects of digitek: "Apathy, blurred vision, breast development in males, change in heartbeat, confusion, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, loss of appetite, lower stomach pain, nausea, psychosis, rash, vomiting, weakness, yellow vision" I was concerned with the prescription when there was a recall. As it turned out it was the generic "digitek" for digoxin.
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