Comments for Consumers
This page/column contains information which may be of interest to consumers. The information is based on articles which appear in Australian Prescriber. As Australian Prescriber is written for health professionals, you should discuss any issues raised by this page/column with your doctor or pharmacist. They will be able to give a more detailed answer to your questions by reading the main article.
Australian Prescriber is unable to comment on individual cases or give second opinions.
Australian Prescriber Vol. 22 No. 6 1999
Digoxin in the 21st century
Digoxin is a medicine which comes from the foxglove plant. It has been used for more than 200 years to treat heart failure. Digoxin makes the heart beat more strongly. It also slows the heart rate when it is rapid and irregular. Although digoxin comes from a plant, it can be poisonous if the dose is wrong. People taking digoxin need to have blood tests to make sure they are on the right dose. If the amount of digoxin is too high, the patient may develop vomiting, diarrhoea, headache and tiredness. These symptoms can also appear if the patient takes another medicine which interacts with digoxin. Nowadays, other medicines are used to treat heart failure. Digoxin is usually added if the treatment does not relieve all the symptoms of heart failure.
