Cardoxin

Digoxin is a prescription medication used to treat mild to moderate heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms (atrial fibrillation). Digoxin belongs to a group of drugs called cardiac glycosides, which help control heart rate and strengthens the heart’s pump.

This medication comes in tablet and solution forms and is taken once or twice a day, with or without food. This medication also comes in injection form and is injected by a healthcare professional when needed.

Common side effects of digoxin include headache, nausea, and vomiting. Digoxin can also cause blurred vision or dizziness. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how this medication will affect you.

Digoxin is a prescription medication used to treat mild to moderate heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms (atrial fibrillation).

This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with digoxin. See "Digoxin Precautions" section.

Common side effects of digoxin include:

• Dizziness
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Vision changes (blurred or yellow)
• Upset stomach
• Loss of appetite
• Rash
• Mental changes (anxiety, depression, hallucination)
• Diarrhea
• Feet or hands swelling
• Weakness

This is not a complete list of digoxin side effects. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take:

• antacids such as Tums, Citrical, or Maalox
• verapamil (Calan)
• amiodarone (Cordarone)
• propafenone (Rythmol)
• indomethacin (Indocin)
• itraconazole (Sporanox)
• alprazolam (Xanax)
• spironolactone (Aldactone)
• diphenoxylate (Lomotil)
• cholestyramine (Prevalite)
• metoclopramide (Reglan)
• antibiotics such as erythromycin (Ery) and clarithromycin (Biaxin)
• diuretics that may affect potassium levels such as furosemide (Lasix), hydrochlorothiazide (Dyazide), triamterene (Dyrenium), or spironolactone (Aldactone)

This is not a complete list of digoxin interactions. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.

Serious side effects have been reported with digoxin including:

• AV (atrioventricular) block: Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms:
  • fainting
  • palpitation (pounding heart feeling)
  • confusion
• Wolff-Parkinson-White Syndrome (abnormal electrical pathway in the heart): Tell your healthcare provider right away if you have some or all of the following symptoms:
  • fast heartbeat
  • shortness of breath
  • chest pain
  • lightheadness
• Worsening of certain types of heart failure: Digoxin may worsen the condition of the heart in specific heart failure patients.

Digoxin can cause dizziness or blurred vision. Do not drive or operate heavy machinery until you know how digoxin affects you.

Do not take digoxin if you:

• are allergic to digoxin or digitoxin
• have a certain type of arrhythmia called ventricular fibrillation

Medicines can interact with certain foods. In some cases, this may be harmful and your doctor may advise you to avoid certain foods. In the case of digoxin, there are no specific foods that you must exclude from your diet when receiving digoxin.

Before taking digoxin, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions. Especially tell your doctor if you:

• have reduced kidney function
• have electrolyte disorders
• have or have had thyroid problems
• have or had heart problems
• are pregnant or breastfeeding

Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

The FDA categorizes medications based on safety for use during pregnancy. Five categories - A, B, C, D, and X, are used to classify the possible risks to an unborn baby when a medication is taken during pregnancy.

Digoxin falls into category C. This medication may be given to a pregnant woman if her healthcare provider believes that its benefits to the pregnant woman outweigh any possible risks to her unborn baby.

It is not known if digoxin will harm your unborn baby.

Tell your doctor if you are breastfeeding or plan to breastfeed.

You should not take digoxin if you are breastfeeding. It may be excreted in your breast milk and may harm your nursing child.

Take digoxin exactly as prescribed.

Digoxin comes as a tablet, solution, and injection.

The tablet and solution form of digoxin is usually taken once or twice a day. It can be taken with or without food.

The injection form of digoxin is injected by a healthcare professional when needed.

If you miss a dose, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for the next dose, skip the missed dose and take your next dose at the regular time. Do not take two doses of digoxin at the same time.

Take this medication exactly as prescribed by your doctor. Follow the directions on your prescription label carefully.

The dose your doctor recommends may be based on the following:

• the condition being treated
• other medical conditions you have
• other medications you are taking
• how you respond to this medication
• your weight
• your height
• your age
• your gender

Oral Solution:

• The recommended loading dose range is 10 to 60 mcg/kg.
• The recommended maintenance dose range is 2.3 to 9.4 mcg/kg/dose (each dose taken twice daily).

Injectable:

• The recommended loading dose range is 8 to 35 mcg/kg (IV injection)
• The recommended maintenance dose range for those 10 years of age or older is 2.4 to 3.6 mcg/kg/day. The dose may also be determined according to your renal function plus your lean body weight.

Digox (digoxin tablet):

• The recommended dose range for adults is 125 to 500 mcg once daily. In these studies, the digoxin dose has been generally titrated according to the patient’s age, lean body weight, and kidney function. Therapy is generally started at a dose of 250 mcg once daily in those under age 70 with good kidney function, at a dose of 125 mcg (0.125 mg) once daily in those over age 70 or with impaired kidney function, and at a dose of 62.5 mcg (0.0625 mg) in those with considerable kidney impairment. Doses may be increased every 2 weeks according to clinical response.

If you take too much digoxin, call your healthcare provider or local Poison Control Center, or seek emergency medical attention right away.

• Store digoxin at room temperature.
• Protect from light.
• Keep this and all medicines out of the reach of children.