What monitoring is required for someone taking digoxin?
• Routine monitoring of serum digoxin is not recommended. • Consider checking serum digoxin levels: • When there are adverse effects suggestive of toxicity (such as confusion, nausea, anorexia, or disturbance of colour vision). • When other factors may affect the serum digoxin level, such as the use of a concomitant drug (for example amiodarone, diltiazem, or verapamil) or deteriorating renal function. • When poor compliance is suspected. • Toxicity can occur even when the serum digoxin concentration is within the therapeutic range, and results should always be interpreted in the clinical context. • In addition to the serum digoxin concentration, blood chemistry measurements should be taken (electrolytes, urea, and creatinine), as this can affect digoxin toxicity.
