Key result
Furosemide plus digoxin was not significantly different from furosemide alone for symptom relief in 15 patients with heart failure, though 2 patients on furosemide alone required IV addition.
Why the study?
Does furosemide plus digoxin improve clinical and cardiovascular responses compared to furosemide alone in hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure and sinus rhythm?
Does furosemide plus digoxin improve clinical and cardiovascular responses compared to furosemide alone in hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure and sinus rhythm?
The addition of digoxin to furosemide did not significantly improve clinical responses compared to furosemide alone in hospitalized heart failure patients with sinus rhythm, suggesting the need to reevaluate digoxin's role as an inotrope in this setting.
No symptom benefit from adding digoxin to furosemide in small HF cohort; leaves open its role in sinus rhythm patients.
Clinical and cardiovascular responses to drug therapy with furosemide were compared with those to furosemide plus digoxin in 15 heart patients with sinus rhythm admitted to the hospital for the management of congestive heart failure. Except for two patients in the group treated with furosemide alone, who required the addition of intravenous furosemide for more complete relief of symptoms, the responses to the two therapeutic regimens were not significantly different. One patient in the digoxin-treated group developed atrial fibrillation with frequent ventricular premature beats and transient runs of bigeminal rhythm typical of digitalis toxicity, which disappeared as the dose of digoxin was lowered. Side effects were otherwise considered to be minor and similar in the two groups. The results support the view that the indications for digoxin as a positive inotropic agent in patients with congestive heart failure need to be reevaluated.
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Hutcheon et al. (1980) studied Congestive heart failure (n=15). Furosemide plus digoxin vs. Furosemide alone was evaluated on Clinical and cardiovascular responses (relief of symptoms). Furosemide plus digoxin was not significantly different from furosemide alone for symptom relief in 15 patients with heart failure, though 2 patients on furosemide alone required IV addition.
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