MHVI Owners Manual . Medications . Inotropics

Names for Oral Drugs
digitoxin (Crystodigin)
digoxin (Lanoxin, Lanoxicaps)

Names for Intravenous Drugs
amrinone (Inocor)
dopamine, dobutamine (Dobutrex)
milrinone (Primacor)

Q. Why has my doctor prescribed this type of medication?
A. The most commonly prescribed inotrope is digoxin, taken by mouth. It is given to help the heart contract more strongly (a positive inotropic effect). It is therefore useful in the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). It is also given to help the heart beat more slowly during abnormally fast heart rhythms like atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter.

Intravenous inotropic drugs are more powerful stimulators of heart contractions and are used in the hospital for patients with severe CHF or for patients with low blood pressure after heart surgery.

Q. Are there any special precautions that I need to be aware of before I start digoxin?
A. Please carefully review the general guidelines in this section. Talk with your doctor, nurse and/or pharmacist. Tell them if you:

Are taking any other medication, prescription or non-prescription, including vitamins and herbs. Be sure to report if you begin to take a diuretic, a beta blocker, calcium blocker or an antiarrhythmic drug. There are many drugs that interact with digoxin. Some of them will increase digoxin levels in the body.
Have heart, lung or thyroid disease. It is especially important for your doctor to know your kidney function because digoxin is excreted by the kidneys.

Q. What is the proper way to take these medications?
A. Follow these guidelines:

Take this medicine exactly as directed-even if you feel well. Do not alter the dosage.
Your doctor may ask you to obtain a blood test to check the digoxin level in your body, especially if you are experiencing side effects, when you've started a new medicine, or if you have kidney disease.

Q. What are the possible side effects of this type of medication?
A. Side effects from digoxin usually occur because of excess levels in the blood stream. These side effects include loss of appetite; nausea and/or vomiting; diarrhea; unusual tiredness or weakness; slow or uneven heartbeat; or headache, confusion or visual disturbances that include white, yellow or green halos around objects.