The term “heart failure” is a little misleading. It sounds like it’s describing a heart that has completely stopped. However, heart failure (also called “congestive heart failure”) means that the heart is failing to pump blood as well as it should. It’s often a result of other heart conditions such as high blood pressure, coronary artery disease or a past heart attack.
Unfortunately, heart failure gets worse over time. And it can come with some hard-to-ignore symptoms, including shortness of breath, fatigue, weakness, fast or irregular heartbeat, and swelling in the legs and feet. The good news is that there are medications that can help relieve symptoms and even improve your heart’s function. Digoxin is one of them. (Download a coupon for digoxin now.)
We asked Los Angeles–based pharmacist Jessica Nouhavandi, PharmD, to share her thoughts on how digoxin works and who it might benefit most. Here’s what she had to say:
Question: How does digoxin work to improve the symptoms of heart failure?
Nouhavandi: Digoxin increases the heart muscle’s ability to contract, which results in the heart pumping better and more efficiently.
Q: When would a doctor decide to prescribe digoxin?
Nouhavandi: Digoxin is not a first-line treatment for heart failure. It’s prescribed when the first-line treatment options are not enough to control the patient’s heart failure symptoms. Adding digoxin to the treatment course can provide significant relief. However, there has been a lack of evidence that it increases survival.
It’s also important to know that digoxin is not used by itself to treat heart failure. Instead, it is usually an addition to a patient’s current treatment.
Q: How do you take digoxin?
Nouhavandi: Digoxin typically comes as a tablet taken once per day. You can take it with or without food. Try to take it at the same time each day.
Alongside this medication, your doctor may prescribe a low-sodium diet and a potassium supplement. Potassium supplements can help lower the chance of a patient getting digoxin toxicity. This happens when there is too much medication in the blood. It can cause severe symptoms that can affect the heart, such as a life-threatening arrhythmia or irregular heartbeat. In this case, a patient would have to be taken to the hospital to get treated. Your doctor will monitor you closely for signs of toxicity (see below).
Q: How does your doctor decide on the right dose for you?
Nouhavandi: The optimal dose is determined by the patient’s age, weight, kidney function, clinical response, other medications and health conditions. If you are over 65, consult with your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking digoxin. The older you are, the more likely you are to experience serious side effects, especially if you are taking high doses.
