digitoxin and Tachycardia--Supraventricular

Digitalis should be used for slowing a rapid ventricular rate in atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter unassociated with the preexcitation syndrome. Digitalis may be used to convert paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia to sinus rhythm. Patients with the tachycardia-bradycardia syndrome should receive maintenance doses of digitalis after pacemaker implantation. Digitalis should not be used for treating CHF with normal LV systolic function unless a supraventricular tachyarrhythmia is present. Conflicting studies have been reported as to the efficacy of digoxin in the treatment of patients with CHF in sinus rhythm. Digoxin may be used for treating CHF with abnormal LV systolic function which does not respond to diuretics and ACE inhibitors or in patients unable to tolerate ACE inhibitor or other vasodilator therapy. Digitalis has a low toxic-therapeutic ratio, especially in elderly persons. Digoxin-specific Fab antibody fragments may be used for treating digitalis toxicity refractory to conventional measures with a treatment response in at least 90% of patients with advanced and potentially life-threatening digitalis toxicity.

Topics: Clinical Trials as Topic; Digitalis; Digoxin; Female; Heart Failure; Humans; Male; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Digitoxin is considered a risk factor for ventricular arrhythmias in hemodialysis patients. In a randomized, crossover controlled study, 55 hemodialysis outpatients with sinus rhythm were prospectively investigated in two 48-h periods of electrocardiographic monitoring, one on and one off digitoxin or vice versa. The frequency of ventricular ectopic beats (mean +/- SD) which were found in 31 of 55 patients (56%), was slightly higher on hemodialysis (10 +/- 28 beats/h) than in the following 20 h (5.4 +/- 10 beats/h) and the next day off hemodialysis (3.6 +/- 6.6 beats/h); however, no difference was seen in patients on digitoxin during hemodialysis (10 +/- 29 beats/h), in the following 20 h (4.8 +/- 15 beats/h) and on the next day off hemodialysis (1.2 +/- 6.6 beats/h). The frequency of ventricular bigemini, polymorphous ectopies, couplets, more than 30 ectopies/h, salvos and tachycardias (10 vs 9 patients) on and off digitoxin was about the same (n.s., Fisher test). Supraventricular bigemini, salvos, tachycardias, and atrial fibrillation, however, occurred in significantly fewer patients on digitoxin (3 vs 13) than in those off digitoxin (P = 0.01, Fisher test). It is concluded that digitoxin does not increase the risk of ventricular arrhythmias in hemodialysis patients. Digitoxin, however, may have a beneficial effect on the supraventricular arrhythmias frequently observed in these patients.

Topics: Adult; Aged; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Cardiac Complexes, Premature; Clinical Trials as Topic; Digitoxin; Electrocardiography; Female; Heart Ventricles; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Monitoring, Physiologic; Random Allocation; Renal Dialysis; Risk Factors; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Three cases of patients with symptoms of digitalis overdosage were presented. The principal manifestations included complex supraventricular dysrhythmias and atrio-ventricular conduction disturbances. In the discussion a special attention was paid to digitalis dosage. Multiple factors influencing plasma concentration of digitalis including pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and drug interactions with glycosides were described. Short review of toxic manifestations of digitalis was made and the treatment of digitalis intoxication was outlined.

Topics: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Atrioventricular Node; Captopril; Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Drug Interactions; Drug Overdose; Drug Therapy, Combination; Female; Heart Conduction System; Humans; Male; Medigoxin; Middle Aged; Pentoxifylline; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Cardiotonic Agents; Digitoxin; Digoxin; Drug Administration Schedule; Drug Overdose; Heart Failure; Humans; Risk Factors; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

The management of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) in infants is somewhat controversial since numerous methods of treatment are effective. Regardless of the treatment chosen, it is important to quickly stop the tachycardia in neonates with SVT because they may suddenly become hemodynamically unstable.. Seventeen episodes of SVT treated with intravenous ATP are studied in 3 newborns (two were preterm infants: 30 and 34 weeks of pregnancy). Ages at presentation ranged from 2 to 27 days.. ATP is effective in all episodes of SVT, with a mean intravenous doses between 0.10 and 0.50 mg/kg/dose. All patients showed short sinus arrest after ATP. No adverse side effects or hemodynamics changes occurred after ATP administration.. ATP is a safe and reliable antiarrhythmic in neonatal period, including prematurity. We reviewed the experience in ATP management of SVT, mainly in pediatric population.

Topics: Adenosine; Adenosine Triphosphate; Adult; Age Factors; Child; Digitalis; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Infant, Premature, Diseases; Injections, Intravenous; Male; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Quinidine; Reference Values; Tachycardia, Paroxysmal; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Adult; Aged; Child; Digitoxin; Digoxin; Drug Interactions; Heart Failure; Humans; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Adenosine; Adenosine Triphosphate; Calcium Channel Blockers; Digitalis; Electrocardiography; Humans; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Digitalis; Drug Interactions; Heart Failure; Humans; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Atrial Fibrillation; Digitalis; Drug Therapy, Combination; Electrocardiography; Furosemide; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

A variety of acute supraventricular tachycardias may be encountered. In many instances the therapies for these rhythm disturbances overlap, but a rational approach to individual disturbances should be based on an understanding of the anatomy and physiology involved in the individual dysrhythmia. Numerous investigative approaches are underway at present, especially with regard to interruption of arrhythmia pathways by electroshock therapy or surgical therapy. In addition, pacing overdrive may be very effective, especially in patients with reentrant arrhythmias.

Topics: Atrial Fibrillation; Atrial Flutter; Digitalis; Electrocardiography; Electrophysiology; Emergencies; Humans; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Tachycardia, Ectopic Junctional; Tachycardia, Paroxysmal; Tachycardia, Supraventricular; Verapamil; Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome

Topics: Animals; Anti-Arrhythmia Agents; Digitalis; Dogs; Heart Rate; Hemodynamics; Male; Plants, Medicinal; Plants, Toxic; Tachycardia, Supraventricular; Time Factors

Topics: Acetyldigitoxins; Digitoxin; Drug Therapy; Humans; Social Behavior; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Paroxysmal; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Acetyldigitoxins; Digitoxin; Drug Therapy; Humans; Preventive Medicine; Social Behavior; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Paroxysmal; Tachycardia, Supraventricular; Toxicology

Topics: Child; Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Drug Therapy; Humans; Preventive Medicine; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Paroxysmal; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Adrenal Cortex Hormones; Digitoxin; Electrocardiography; Myocardial Infarction; Myocardium; Pharmacology; Prednisone; Procainamide; Quinidine; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Atrial Fibrillation; Atrial Flutter; Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Electric Countershock; Electric Stimulation Therapy; Quinidine; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Digitalis; Heart; Heart Block; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Atrial Fibrillation; Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Heart Atria; Humans; Potassium; Salts; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Paroxysmal; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Atrial Fibrillation; Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Heart Block; Humans; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Supraventricular; Tachycardia, Ventricular

Topics: Digitalis; Heart Failure; Humans; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Atrial Flutter; Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Drug Overdose; Humans; Plant Extracts; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Lanatosides; Tachycardia; Tachycardia, Supraventricular

Topics: Arrhythmias, Cardiac; Digitalis; Digitalis Glycosides; Humans; Lanatosides; Tachycardia, Supraventricular