Key result
Digoxin remains an important but controversial therapy for heart failure and atrial tachyarrhythmias, and should be reserved for selective patients with careful attention to serum concentrations.
Why the study?
What is the role of digoxin in contemporary medicine for patients with heart failure and atrial tachyarrhythmias?
What is the role of digoxin in contemporary medicine for patients with heart failure and atrial tachyarrhythmias?
Digoxin remains a therapeutic option for select patients with heart failure or atrial tachyarrhythmias, but requires careful monitoring due to safety concerns.
Supports selective use with monitoring in HF and AF; leaves open need for updated RCTs versus contemporary GDMT.
Digoxin has been a key therapeutic for heart failure and atrial tachyarrhythmias for over 200 years following Withering's groundbreaking work depicting the therapeutic benefit of the common botanical foxglove in his 1785 monograph. The use of digoxin preceded any randomised evidence or even basic understanding of its mechanism of action. Over the past two decades, there has been mounting evidence further challenging the safety and efficacy of digoxin, while multiple other therapies for both heart failure and atrial tachyarrhythmias have proven to be more effective and safe. Altogether, digoxin still has an important role in contemporary pharmacotherapeutics, though its role remains controversial and should be reserved for selective patients and clinical situations, with careful attention to serum concentrations.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Stucky et al. (2015) conducted a review in Heart failure and atrial tachyarrhythmias. Digoxin was evaluated. Digoxin remains an important but controversial therapy for heart failure and atrial tachyarrhythmias, and should be reserved for selective patients with careful attention to serum concentrations.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: