The clinical significance of plasma glycoside concentrations in patients with cardiac pacemakers
Ochs, H.R.; Bodem, G.; Schlehbusch, H.; Nuppeney, M.; Baur, M.P.; Oberhoffer, G.
Zeitschrift für Kardiologie 67(2): 109-115
1978
ISSN/ISBN: 0300-5860 PMID: 636517 Document Number: 128010
308 digitalized out-patients with artificial cardiac pacemakers were explored for signs of glycoside toxicity with simultaneous determination of digoxin plasma levels 12 hours after the last dose. The incidence of different side effects commonly attributed to overdigitalization did not allow prediction of toxic plasma levels. 55% of all glycoside levels were within the therapeutic range, 34% were below 0.7 ng/ml and only 11% above 2.0 ng/ml. With the most commonly prescribed maintenance doses of the glycosides used (digoxin 0.5 mg, beta-acetyldigoxin 0.4 mg, beta-methyldigoxin 0.2 mg, lanatosid C 1.0 mg) therapeutic plasma levels were reached regularly in 60-65% of the patients. A significant correlation existed between plasma glycoside concentrations and renal function as well as age, but glycoside concentrations could not be correlated with the age of the patients. There were no indications for interactions of the different glycosides prescribed with diuretics or oral antidiabetics.