Key result
Digoxin in low serum concentrations (0.5–0.9 ng/mL) decreases mortality in heart failure patients and remains a useful treatment option across diverse patient populations.
Why the study?
Does digoxin decrease mortality in heart failure patients?
Does digoxin decrease mortality in heart failure patients?
Digoxin remains a useful therapy for heart failure patients when maintained at low serum concentrations (0.5–0.9 ng/mL), despite retrospective concerns regarding its use in atrial fibrillation.
Supports low-dose digoxin consideration in HF; leaves open prospective confirmation of mortality benefit.
The Digoxin Investigation Group trial has multiple flaws in the trial design for the findings to be universally applicable. Digoxin in low serum concentrations (0.5–0.9 ng/mL) has been shown to decrease mortality in heart failure patients. Multiple trials in different patient populations also show benefit of digoxin in heart failure patients, including women, elderly patients, renal disease patients, and patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. Retrospective observational data linking digoxin use for treatment of atrial fibrillation to increased mortality is not seen in subgroups of randomized controlled trials or population registries. Digoxin remains a useful drug in the toolbox of physicians dealing with heart failure patients.
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Gupta et al. (2017) conducted a review in Heart failure. Digoxin was evaluated. Digoxin in low serum concentrations (0.5–0.9 ng/mL) decreases mortality in heart failure patients and remains a useful treatment option across diverse patient populations.
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