[Digitoxin in hepatorenal insufficiency]

Serum digitoxin levels were measured during maintenance treatment with digitoxin, 0.1 mg daily i.v., in 12 patients under intensive postoperative care who had hepatorenal failure resulting from multiple organ failure. Thirteen patients in intensive care with comparable basic diseases served as controls; they had developed predominantly renal failure. Serum digitoxin levels in the two groups were no different and remained within therapeutic range during the total period of observation of 8-40 days. During this time toxic serum digitoxin levels were measured in 2.9% of patients in renal failure and 2.7% of patients with hepatorenal failure. The pathogenesis of the liver failure and the severity of the underlying disease did not influence serum digitoxin levels. Digitoxin was tolerated similarly in the two patient groups.