Question about Digoxin

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Does anyone know how often a patient taking Digoxin must have their levels checked? That was the one question that I was unalbe to answer today when my clinical instructor was questioning me during med pass. :confused:

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Hey Mrs Wife

According to the Merck Pharmacy web site, Dig levels may be checked "only occaisionally" unless 1) symptoms of CHF increase, 2) dose is changed or 3) other meds that interact (amiodorone, quinidine) are added.

Was your Pt in hosp for cardiac related problems?

What was his Dig level. The response to Dig is pretty individualized--'therapeutic' levels for some folks might be low or high for particular Pts

Hope this helps!! Pharmacology is pretty tough and MY nursing instructors could be real nasty.

Papaw John

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Hey Mrs Wife

According to the Merck Pharmacy web site, Dig levels may be checked "only occaisionally" unless 1) symptoms of CHF increase, 2) dose is changed or 3) other meds that interact (amiodorone, quinidine) are added.

Was your Pt in hosp for cardiac related problems?

What was his Dig level. The response to Dig is pretty individualized--'therapeutic' levels for some folks might be low or high for particular Pts

Hope this helps!! Pharmacology is pretty tough and MY nursing instructors could be real nasty.

Papaw John

We are in a LTC and she has CHF. her levels were checked several months ago and were normal. My instructor just asked and wasn't upset when i didn't answer (thankfully) she just said she didn't know and thought maybe that I had found out when i was preparing my drug cards. I will keep that in mind though when we go backto clincials next week. Thanks

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Hey! Again

Give yourself a GREAT BIG attaboy for knowing when the last dig level was done and what it was!!!! (I can't tell you how frustrated I get in the ICU at Nurses who don't know that kinda stuff when giving report!!!)

And give yourself a big sigh of relief for lucking out on your teacher, too.

Papaw John

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Specializes in ER.

This website is a gives some good digoxin information!

http://www.vh.org/adult/provider/pharmacyservices/PTNews/1997/0297PTN.html

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