​Pharmacology - Digoxin

​Pharmacology - Digoxin 
Pharmacology: Digoxin's Mechanism of Action 
Causes the heart to slow down. slows the conduction of AV. It lengthens the refractory period of the AV node. In a heart that is failing, it increases the force of contraction.

Plasma membrane Na+/K+ ATPase is inhibited by the mode of action of this compound.
Ca++ extrusion is decreased as a result of the increased intracellular Na+, which leads to an increase in Ca++.

Renal excretion; plasma half-life of approximately 36 hours; administered orally, typically with a loading dosage.

Use in Clinical Settings 
Atrial fibrillation is a condition. If diuretics and ACE inhibitors have not been successful, heart failure may be the result.

Adverse Reactions 
Symptoms include yellow vision, nausea, and vomiting, as well as dysrhythmias brought on by a blockage of AV conduction and ectopic pacemaker activation.

Not much of a difference between the effective dose and the toxic dose. Because of the rivalry between K+ and digoxin for the Na+/K+ ATPase, decreased plasma K+ levels are associated with an increase in toxicity.