Chronic heart failure is a disease that is not uncommon today. Improper lifestyle, poor quality food and bad habits contribute to a significant deterioration in well-being in old age. It is not possible to fully recover the work of the heart. But drug therapy allows you to lead a full-fledged lifestyle. Digoxin tablets are popular. The use of the drug should preferably be agreed with the doctor.
Composition and form of release
The drug is offered in the form of tablets of small diameter. The main active ingredient is digoxin. One tablet contains 250 mg of this component. As auxiliary elements, magnesium stearate, lactose monohydrate, corn starch, gelatin, anhydrous colloidal silicon, talc are used. The medicine is offered in pharmacies in cardboard packaging or plastic bottles.
The drug belongs to the group of cardiac glycosides. Digoxin tablets have a positive effect on the work of the heart. The instruction says that the contractility of the myocardium is significantly increased. Due to this, the stroke volume of the blood also increases. In addition, the volume of the heart decreases. This leads to the fact that the myocardial oxygen demand is significantly reduced.
Patients who suffer from atrial tachyarrhythmia can also use the drug. The main active ingredient slows down the frequency of ventricular contractions, and also improves intracardiac geodynamics.
Pharmacokinetics
Digoxin tablets are well tolerated by most patients. Reviews of experts show that the medicine is perfectly absorbed into the walls of the stomach. In percentage terms, this figure is 80%. In many respects, absorption depends on the health of the stomach, as well as food taken in parallel. The bioavailability of the drug "Digoxin" is 60-70%. If the gastric juice has normal acidity, only a small amount of the main active substance of the medication is destroyed.
The drug has the ability to accumulate in the tissues. Therefore, at the beginning of treatment there is no correlation between the concentration of the drug in plasma and the severity of the pharmacodynamic effect. The drug is metabolized in the liver, and excreted mainly by the kidneys. Up to 80% comes out unchanged. If the patient suffers from liver failure, compensation may occur due to increased excretion of digoxin by the kidneys.
Indications
The drug “Digoxin” is popular with patients and doctors. Testimonials show that pills help perfectly restore heart function. The drug is prescribed primarily for patients with chronic heart failure, if there are clinical manifestations of the disease. The medicine also has a positive effect on patients who suffer from a tachysystological form of atrial fibrillation. Especially if this condition manifests itself against a background of chronic heart failure.
The means “Digoxin” (tablets) cannot be used as monotherapy. The instruction for use states that the drug can be prescribed only as part of the complex treatment of chronic heart failure. Pills help restore the patient’s heart rate and well-being. But they are not able to completely return the heart to its former state.
Contraindications
Digoxin tablets may be dangerous for some patients. Reviews of doctors show that the medication should be taken only after undergoing a full examination of the body. The medicine has many contraindications. These include diseases such as Wolf-Parkinson-White syndrome, intermittent complete blockade, glycosidic intoxication. In some cases, increased sensitivity to the components of the drug may occur.
There are also body conditions in which the use of Digoxin is possible, but with caution. The specialist must carefully evaluate the possible benefits and harms. It is not recommended to take tablets without consulting a doctor in conditions such as hypertrophic subaortic stenosis, acute myocardial infarction, unstable angina, arteriovenous shunt, amyloidosis of the heart.
Use during pregnancy and lactation
Studies have been conducted on the possibility of taking Digoxin tablets by pregnant and lactating women. It was found that the main active component can penetrate both the placental barrier to the fetus and into breast milk. During childbirth, the concentration of the main component of the drug in the blood serum of the newborn and mother is exactly the same. According to the safety of use, the drug “Digoxin” can be attributed to category “C”. Reviews of experts show that during pregnancy and lactation, the use of tablets is recommended only in extreme cases. This should be done only when the potential benefit to the mother outweighs the potential risk to the child.
Studies on the administration of medication by children have not been conducted. For this reason, Digoxin tablets are not prescribed for minors. There are many other drugs that are intended for the treatment of heart defects in children under 18 years of age.
Dosage
Digoxin (tablets) should be taken correctly. Instructions for use describe the exact dosage for each clinical case. The medication is taken only inside. It is worth remembering that tablets belong to the group of cardiac glycosides. Therefore, the dosage should be selected especially carefully in accordance with the individual characteristics of the patient's body. If the patient has previously taken cardiac glycosides, the dosage of Digoxin tablets should be reduced.
For adults, the maximum dosage is selected depending on the need to quickly obtain a therapeutic effect. Fast digitalization can be used only in emergency cases, when the patient's condition worsens sharply. In this case, the patient takes 1.25 mg of the drug twice. Before each subsequent dose, an ECG should be performed. As soon as the patient’s heart returns to normal, supportive treatment should be started. Dosage may be reduced.
In most cases, patients are shown slow digitalization. It is necessary to take the drug "Digoxin" for 5-7 days. Reviews for heart disease show that this method allows you to maintain normal health for a long time. The daily dosage of the drug may be 250-500 mcg. Tablets are taken only once a day.
Overdose
Digoxin tablets should be taken in accordance with the doctor’s recommendation. Reviews show that improper use of tablets can lead to an overdose. The main symptoms are decreased sleep, decreased appetite, dizziness, nausea, and vomiting. Some patients may have poor heart function. Symptoms appear such as atrial fibrillation and flutter, nodal tachycardia, sinoatrial block. The patient may appear confused, decreased visual acuity, psychosis.
A cardinal treatment does not require an overdose. The doctor can only cancel the drug "Digoxin" and prescribe activated charcoal. In acute drug poisoning, the patient may be shown gastric lavage. Treatment should be carried out in a medical institution under the supervision of specialists.
Side effects
Patient well-being is most often the result of an overdose of Digoxin tablets. Instructions for use, reviews - all this should be studied before taking the medication. Drug intoxication can manifest itself with symptoms such as ventricular paroxysmal tachycardia, sinoauricular block, nodal tachycardia, polytopic ventricular extrasystole. From the digestive system, patients often experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Against this background, patients in rare cases completely refuse to eat. This condition is dangerous for the development of anorexia.
Side effects from the central nervous system can be observed, such as sleep disturbance, headaches, depressive syndrome, confusion, visual hallucinations. If such symptoms occur, immediately stop taking Digoxin tablets. Reviews of people show that the normal state of the body returns immediately after the withdrawal of the drug.
Drug interaction
Any cardiac glycosides should be taken with caution along with other drugs. It is not recommended to drink Digoxin tablets in conjunction with medicines that upset the electrolyte balance. These primarily include diuretics, insulin, glucocorticosteroids - the risk of developing toxic effects of Digoxin increases. Hypercalcemia can also lead to side effects. Therefore, patients are not recommended to introduce calcium salts with Digoxin. Reviews for atrial fibrillation show that even a small dose of calcium is enough for the patient to have side effects.
Under the influence of drugs containing aluminum, the absorption of digoxin in the intestine can be reduced. As a result, the positive effect of tablets on the body will be reduced. Spironolactone should also be used with caution. It helps to reduce the concentration of digoxin in blood serum, and also distorts the results of determining the content of a substance in the body.
Conventional activated carbon significantly reduces the bioavailability of Digoxin. Reviews on the use show that the medicine is absolutely inactive when used in conjunction with drugs that improve gastrointestinal motility.
Are there any analogues?
What if the drug based on digoxin in the pharmacy could not be found? The doctor will always be able to choose a drug that will have a similar effect on the body. For example, Cardiomagnyl tablets are popular. This is a medicine whose main active ingredient is magnesium hydroxide. Additionally, components such as acetylsalicylic acid, potato starch, magnesium stearate, and microcrystalline cellulose are used.
The medicine “Cardiomagnyl” can be prescribed for the treatment of various diseases of the cardiovascular system. It is also taken as a prophylaxis of thrombosis and repeated myocardial infarction.
Reviews about the drug "Digoxin"
Increasingly, in chronic heart failure, experts prescribe Digoxin tablets. Reviews show that the medication gives really good results when used correctly. To avoid side effects, you should take it strictly on the recommendation of a doctor. A qualified specialist will always be able to choose the right dosage in accordance with the form of the disease, as well as the individual characteristics of the patient.
Negative reviews about the drug "Digoxin" are also available. They are associated for the most part with a large number of side effects. It is worth noting that unpleasant symptoms are most often manifested in those patients who do not comply with the desired dosage or take the drug in conjunction with other drugs. Caution is advised to use Digoxin tablets. Instructions for use, reviews - all this should be studied before starting therapy.
Where to buy the drug?
The drug is prescription. After contacting a specialist, the medicine can be purchased at the nearest pharmacy. Digoxin tablets are not uncommon. Also, the medication can be ordered in real time. In online pharmacies, the medicine is much cheaper.
How much do you have to pay?
Digoxin tablets belong to the low price category. For one package you will have to pay only about 50 rubles. If you order the drug in an online pharmacy, you can save up to 15%.