Digoxin for atrial fibrillation

Examples

Generic Name	Brand Name
digoxin	Lanoxin

Digoxin is used to control heart rate. It is also used to increase the strength of ventricular contractions in people with left-sided heart failure.

How It Works

Digoxin helps slow the heart rate by blocking the number of electrical impulses that pass through the AV node into the lower heart chambers (ventricles).

Digoxin can also strengthen ventricular contractions so that the heart is able to pump more blood with each beat.

Why It Is Used

Digoxin slows heart rate and strengthens heart contractions in people who have atrial fibrillation. Digoxin can also be used to treat heart failure and therefore is useful in treating people with both atrial fibrillation and heart failure.

How Well It Works

Digoxin may be used along with other medications to treat atrial fibrillation. Digoxin alone may not adequately control heart rate in people with active lifestyles.

Digoxin may improve symptoms of atrial fibrillation by:

• Slowing the heart rate.
• Strengthening heart contractions in people who have heart failure.

Side Effects

High doses may cause digoxin poisoning. Symptoms of digoxin poisoning include:

• Confusion.
• Nausea.
• Loss of appetite.
• Visual disturbances.
• Cardiac arrhythmias.

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

What To Think About

Regular blood tests may be needed to monitor digoxin levels to prevent poisoning. Other medications may affect the level of digoxin in the blood.

Digoxin does not:

• Lower blood pressure like some other drugs used for atrial fibrillation do.
• Prevent recurrences of atrial fibrillation.
• Control heart rate very well during exercise. Beta-blockers or calcium channel blockers are better for controlling heart rate during exercise.

Smaller doses of digoxin must be used in older people or people with kidney problems.

People who have Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome with atrial fibrillation cannot be treated with digoxin.

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Author:	Douglas Dana Robin Parks, MS	Last Updated: April 19, 2007
Medical Review:	Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine Caroline S. Rhoads, MD - Internal Medicine Laurence Epstein, MD - Cardiac Electrophysiologist Stephen Fort, MD, MRCP, FRCPC - Interventional Cardiology
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