Why the study?
When should serum digoxin levels be measured in patients receiving digitalis?
When should serum digoxin levels be measured in patients receiving digitalis?
Serum digoxin levels should be measured selectively for suspected intoxication or to determine digitalization status, keeping in mind various interpretative pitfalls.
Supports selective digoxin level testing to limit overutilization; leaves open need for contemporary outcome validation.
The indications for measuring serum digoxin levels are suspicion of digitalis intoxication and the need to know the status of digitalization. Pitfalls of interpretation include time of serum sample relative to time of last digitalis dose, age of patient, atrial arrhythmia, electrolyte disturbances, disease state of the patient, recent radioisotopes "on board," abnormal absorption or metabolism, and laboratory error. The serum digoxin level is a useful clinical tool but only when employed with good judgment. Not every patient receiving digitalis requires the measurement of a blood level.
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James E. Doherty (1978) studied this question.
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