Premium
III. DIGITALIS IN THE ELDERLY
Author(s) -
Chellingsworth M.
Publication year - 1986
Publication title -
journal of clinical pharmacy and therapeutics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.622
H-Index - 73
eISSN - 1365-2710
pISSN - 0269-4727
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2710.1986.tb00824.x
Subject(s) - digitalis , digitalis glycosides , medicine , digitalis toxicity , heart failure
SUMMARY Since William Withering first described the use of digitalis, over 200 years ago (1), its popularity has waxed and waned. Digitalis preparations are widely prescribed for elderly patients. Surveys of hospital in‐patients have shown a high prevalence of the use of digitalis preparations (2, 3), but also of digitalis toxicity; though not all studies have shown the latter to increase with age. A survey of people aged 70, living in Gothenberg, showed that 14% were taking digitalis preparations (4); other studies have shown similar figures. Now that powerful diuretics and vasodilators are available for the treatment of heart failure, and many antiarrhythmics are used for the control of atrial tachyarrhythmias, there is controversy about the value of cardiac glycosides in the treatment of elderly patients.