Contrasting effect on cardiac output of digoxin and gitoxin in humans during congestive heart failure

Recent studies have demonstrated that the biovailability of gitoxin could be increased to 100%. Favorable pharmacokinetic parameters for this glycoside have also been found in humans. The present paper deals with the comparative hemodynamic effect of digoxin and gitoxin on nine patients suffering from heart failure. The study was conducted in a coronary care unit with continuous hemodynamic monitoring. After intravenous administration of 1 mg digoxin or gitoxin, only gitoxin was observed to have an inotropic effect leading to significant improvement of the low cardiac output in these patients.