DIGOXIN injection patient counseling information
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Abdurahman Khalil, M.D. [2]
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Patient Counseling Information
• Advise patients that digoxin is a cardiac glycoside used to treat heart failure and heart arrhythmias.
• Instruct patients to take this medication as directed by their physician.
• Advise patients that many drugs can interact with digoxin. Instruct patients to inform their doctor and pharmacist if they are taking any over the counter medications, including herbal medication, or are started on a new prescription.
• Advise patient that blood tests will be necessary to ensure that their digoxin dose is appropriate for them.
• Advise patients to contact their doctor or a health care professional if they experience nausea, vomiting, persistent diarrhea, confusion, weakness, or visual disturbances (including blurred vision, green-yellow color disturbances, halo effect) as these could be signs that the dose of digoxin may be too high.
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Advise parents or caregivers that the symptoms of having too high digoxin doses may be difficult to recognize in infants and pediatric patients. Symptoms such as weight loss, failure to thrive in infants, abdominal pain, and behavioral disturbances may be indications of digoxin toxicity.
• Suggest to the patient to monitor and record their heart rate and blood pressure daily.
• Instruct women of childbearing potential who become or are planning to become pregnant to consult a physician prior to initiation or continuing therapy with digoxin.
References
http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/dailymed/lookup.cfm?setid=58f45aba-ff6f-43cc-bb88-be40a9f7beda