Pharmacological experiments as a basis for the administration of digoxin in the horse

It is shown that the concentration of ouabain necessary for 50 per cent inhibition of the Na+K activated membrane ATPase of red cells is similar in man and horse. This is taken to indicate that the two species have similar sensitivity towards cardiac glycosides in general. In five adult healthy horses plasma digoxin concentration was measured with a radioimmunoassay technique after a single intravenous injection of 1 mg/100 kg body weight digoxin. The half time of elimination was 23 h and the apparent volume of distribution 7.3 litres/kg. An approximate estimate of plasma protein binding of digoxin was obtained by measuring digoxin with a fluorimetric assay in the ultrafiltrate from horse plasma containing 2-20 mug/ml. At concentrations below 10(-5)(g/ml 20 to 40 per cent of digoxin present in horse plasma is bound to protein. With this information and by using effective digoxin concentration measured in humans an average daily maintenance dose of 0-5-0-75 mg/100 kg body weight was calculated which may serve as a guideline in the treatment of congestive heart failure with digoxin in the horse.