[Digitalis therapy in the aged]

Cardiac glycosides still belong to the most frequently prescribed drugs, although the usefulness of digitalization in patients with sinus rhythm has been repeatedly challenged. In elderly patients, especially, the objective hemodynamic improvement remains minimal and treatment can often be interrupted without subsequent deterioration. On the other hand, signs of digitalis toxicity, such as nausea, vomiting, AV-block, ventricular extrasystoles or CNS-symptoms, occur in 15-30% of patients. Adverse effects are mainly due to toxic accumulation of digoxin in cases with age related reduction of kidney function. In view of its non-renal elimination digitoxin would seem to have a certain advantage in geriatric patients, however, its long t 1/2 (6-7 days) makes dose adjustments more difficult, as peak effects will only be attained after 4-5 weeks. For these reasons digitalis treatment in elderly patients should not be given without clinically manifest congestive heart failure and/or atrial fibrillation. Even in such cases a periodic reassessment of the therapeutic indication is recommended. Suspected "latent" cardiac failure or cerebrovascular insufficiency are no reasons for utilizing such potentially toxic drugs.