Related Experiment Video

Updated: Oct 14, 2025

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
28:13

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 26, 2013

33.6K

Benefits of prescribing low-dose digoxin in atrial fibrillation

Ciprian Ilie Rosca1,2,3, Nilima Rajpal Kundnani2,4, Anca Tudor5

  • 1Advanced Research Center for Cardiovascular Pathology and Haemostaseology, Department of Internal Medicine I - Medical Semiology I, 162271"Victor Babes" University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Timisoara, Romania.

International Journal of Immunopathology and Pharmacology
|November 2, 2021
PubMed

Insights

Adding low-dose digoxin to beta-blockers and anticoagulants improved heart rate control and quality of life in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Further research is needed to standardize treatment protocols.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • The role of digoxin in heart rate control for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients requires further investigation.
  • Limited data exists on the efficacy of digoxin in combination with other treatments for AF.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the impact of combination therapy (beta-blockers [BB] and digoxin) versus BB alone on resting heart rate (HR) and quality of life (QOL) in AF patients.
  • To evaluate the effectiveness of adding low-dose digoxin to standard AF treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of clinical records of 1444 AF patients.
  • Patients were divided into two groups: Group 1 (BB, low-dose digoxin, anticoagulant) and Group 2 (BB, anticoagulant).
  • Comparison of resting HR and QOL at periodic intervals between the two groups.

Main Results:

  • Group 1 patients demonstrated better control of resting HR (<110 bpm) compared to Group 2.
  • Improved quality of life (QOL) was observed in Group 1 patients receiving digoxin in addition to BB and anticoagulants.

Conclusions:

  • Addition of low-dose digoxin to a regimen of beta-blockers and anticoagulants shows favorable clinical outcomes in AF patients.
  • Larger studies are required to clarify digoxin's role and standardize treatment protocols for dual rate control therapy in AF.
Abstract

Keywords:
atrial fibrillationbeta-blockersdigoxindual rate controlmortalityquality of life

More Related Videos

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation23:33

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation

Published on: February 28, 2012

83.9K
Non-fluoroscopic Catheter Tracking for Fluoroscopy Reduction in Interventional Electrophysiology10:46

Non-fluoroscopic Catheter Tracking for Fluoroscopy Reduction in Interventional Electrophysiology

Published on: May 26, 2015

13.5K

Related Concept Videos

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers01:20

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class IV Agents as Calcium Channel Blockers

Class IV antiarrhythmic drugs, such as verapamil and diltiazem, block calcium channels. They primarily affect the heart, slowing the conduction in calcium-dependent tissues like the SA and AV nodes. These drugs manage reentrant supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) and reduce ventricular rate in atrial flutter/fibrillation.
Verapamil, a calcium channel blocker, inhibits calcium movement across myocardial cell membranes and vascular smooth muscle. This results in the dilation of coronary and...
1.1K
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers01:12

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class III Agents as Potassium Channel Blockers

Class III antiarrhythmic drugs are a group of medications that can prolong action potentials in the heart. They achieve this by blocking potassium channels or enhancing inward currents from sodium channels. However, these drugs have a unique property of "reverse use-dependence," which is most pronounced at slower heart rates and can lead to torsades de pointes—a specific type of arrhythmia. However, it is essential to note that excessive QT interval prolongation—a measure of...
1.4K
Heart Failure Drugs: Inotropic Agents01:26

Heart Failure Drugs: Inotropic Agents

Positive inotropic agents are commonly used as the first line of treatment for heart failure. One such agent is digoxin, derived from the genus Digitalis, which has been known for centuries but effectively utilized since 1785. However, these cardiac glycosides can have potentially toxic effects due to their mechanism of action, which involves inhibiting Na+/K+-ATPase and increasing contractility. Digoxin is absorbed orally and distributed in various tissues, including the CNS. It has a long...
824
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers01:22

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class I Agents as Sodium Channel Blockers

Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are used to treat various types of arrhythmias or irregular heart rhythms. These drugs block the sodium (Na+) channels in the cardiac cells, thereby affecting the movement of electrical impulses across the heart. Class I antiarrhythmic drugs are divided into three subgroups: Class IA, Class IB, and Class IC, each with distinct mechanisms of action and effects on the heart.
Class 1A Antiarrhythmic Drugs: These drugs work by moderately blocking sodium channels,...
2.0K
Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as &#946;-Adrenergic Blockers01:24

Antiarrhythmic Drugs: Class II Agents as β-Adrenergic Blockers

Adrenergic stimulation generally impacts cardiac rate and rhythm. Specifically, stimulation of the β-adrenoceptors triggers an increase in intracellular calcium ion influx and pacemaker currents, which may cause arrhythmias. Catecholamines like adrenaline also demonstrate β2-adrenoceptor-mediated hypokalemia, impacting cardiac action potential and disrupting the normal cardiac rhythm. Class II antiarrhythmic drugs are β-adrenoceptor antagonists or β-blockers, which...
997
Dysrhythmias VI: Management of Dysrhythmias01:25

Dysrhythmias VI: Management of Dysrhythmias

Dysrhythmia management involves a multifaceted approach, incorporating pharmacological treatments, medical procedures, surgical interventions, lifestyle modifications, and patient education.Pharmacological ManagementAntiarrhythmic Drugs:Class I (Sodium Channel Blockers): This class includes quinidine and procainamide, which reduce the speed of impulse conduction in the heart, stabilize the cardiac membrane, and control arrhythmias. Quinidine and procainamide are Class IA agents that prolong the...
153