Digoxin and Lasix

Nurses General Nursing

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i have a question....when they say give Digoxin and Lasix daily...what time is the usual dosage...is it according to hospital policy or what... same for every 6 hours, when do you guys normally start giving it on an AM shift...

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Specializes in Lie detection.

Usually hospitals do have routine times for daily as well as Q6 meds, etc. Ours were 12,6,12,6 Daily am meds were 10 am. But it can be different everywhere for different reasons!

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Specializes in ER, ICU, Infusion, peds, informatics.

the hospital pharmacy usually has a policy for that.

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[color=#483d8b]"daily" generally means 1000 for our hospital, but certain meds (such as prilosec) are given at a different time.

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[color=#483d8b]for us, q6hrs means 6a, noon, 6p, midnight. however, i have worked at other hospitals where the med is given on the first even hour after the order is received in pharmacy, and then the rest of the doses go from there. (say an order for "unasyn 3gm iv q6hrs" is received in pharmacy at 1230pm. first dose -- unless ordered "stat" -- is timed for 1400; the rest follow at 2000, 0200, and 0800).

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[color=#483d8b]so it usually depends on pharmacy policy/hospital policy.

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Specializes in Brain injury,vent,peds ,geriatrics,home.

Your policy manual should clarify that question.Our med pass hours are 8,12,3,6 and 8pm.

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Diuretics aren't generally given in the evening. Needing to pee constantly harshes the patient's night's sleep.

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Depends on the hospital policy. I work in ICU , if the pt needs the dig for low level etc... I give it. If they are there for another dx. I try to give it when the pt usually takes it. The same with lasix. If they are overloaded I give it as soon as possible. If not, I try to give it when they take their regular dose. Of course if the dosage has changed I can usually assume that the pt needs the dose as soon as possible. If the pt is awake alert etc. , the dose hasn't changed etc. I attempt to give the lasix in the am so they can sleep without peeing all night it for some reason they don't have a foley. That's the trick of nursing. You must be able to think on your feet, know your pt. know the med and make the best judgement you can on the info at hand.

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It all depends on hospital policy. Also you need to consider the type of med it is. Sometimes you have to draw levels on medications and you want to make sure you give that med at the appropriate times so the levels aren't off the chart. Where I work we give Lasix in the am(usually 10am),Digoxin at 2pm and Coumadin at 6pm. Those are some of the meds that are given at specific times. You also need to check with the patients to see when they usually take their meds because they get a little annoyed when they are thrown off their schedule................

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Here Lasix is given in the AM and Dig is given as PM med. Makes sense, who wants to make trips to bathroom during night. Dig has time to get into system and a level is maintained. We give the Dig either with 5 or 6 PM meds.

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most places i've worked, daily lasix is given early in the morning (0600, 0800 or 0900) - this gives the pt a chance to pee all day instead of all night! however, if they have a foley, it doesn't really make a difference what time they take it. if the pt is going to continue taking lasix at home, i tell them to take it at a time they know they'll have easy access to a toilet...

digoxin is usually administered at 1130

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