Digitalis is a medication derived from the foxglove plant and has been used to treat heart problems for over two centuries. The principal clinical uses currently are in the treatment of CHF and in the treatment of arrhythmias.
Digitalis works by increasing the pumping action of the heart by increasing the force of the heart’s contractions. It also slows certain fast heart rhythms. As a result, the heart beats less frequently but more effectively, and more blood is pumped into the arteries. Digitalis is available in pill and liquid formulations as well as in a sterile injection form.
Digitalis has been a mainstay in the treatment of CHF due to its ability to increase the heart’s contractility and decrease its workload. Digitalis is usually introduced after diuretics and ACE inhibitors. It has been shown to improve symptoms and morbidity, although not survival, in patients with a normal heart rhythm.
Digitalis does appear to be of greatest benefit with more severe left ventricular dysfunction. Withdrawing digitalis in patients who are clinically stable on diuretics and ACE inhibitors has been shown to produce clinical deterioration. Therefore, patients should not stop taking digitalis without speaking with their doctor first. Common brands of digitalis are:
Generic Name Brand Name
digitalis Lanoxicaps
digitalis Lanoxin
digitalis Lanoxin Elixir Pediatric
digitalis Lanoxin Injection
digitalis Lanoxin Injection Pediatric