Digoxin
Digoxin is a heart medicine used for heart failure and atrial fibrillation, sold here as Lanoxin 0.25mg tablets that you can order online.
What people take digoxin for
Two conditions bring most people to digoxin. In heart failure the heart pumps too weakly to keep blood moving around the body, and small efforts leave people breathless and worn out. In atrial fibrillation (an irregular, often fast heartbeat that starts in the upper chambers) the pulse can run well ahead of what the body needs, and digoxin brings the rate down. It is a cardiac glycoside, an old class of heart medicine with very few members still in everyday use.
What digoxin does in the heart
Digoxin acts in two places. In heart muscle it partly switches off a sodium pump; calcium then builds up inside the cells, and each beat comes out stronger. At the atrioventricular node, the junction between the upper and lower chambers, it holds signals back, so fewer reach the ventricles and a racing pulse slows.
Take one tablet each day and fix it to something that never changes, like brushing your teeth. Digoxin works through the level it holds in the blood, and that level wobbles when doses wander. Food is irrelevant. Plan on long-term use: it keeps the condition steady without curing it.
Side effects
Stomach upset is the most frequent complaint: nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and a poor appetite. Headache, dizziness, tiredness, blurred vision and the occasional rash are reported as well.
A second group of symptoms means too much digoxin has built up. A pulse that turns very slow or irregular, sickness that will not settle, confusion, or vision that goes yellow or green or shows halos around lights all point that way, and they need urgent treatment. Kidney problems make a build-up more likely, because digoxin leaves the body through the kidneys.
Medicines that change how digoxin behaves
Low potassium makes digoxin's effects stronger, and water tablets (diuretics) are the usual reason potassium falls. Several heart medicines, including amiodarone, verapamil and diltiazem, push digoxin levels up, as do some antibiotics (clarithromycin, erythromycin and tetracycline) and some antifungal medicines. St John's wort, antacids and some laxatives lower digoxin levels instead. Ibuprofen and other anti-inflammatory painkillers push levels up as well.
Lanoxin 0.25mg tablets
The digoxin sold here comes as Lanoxin, 0.25mg tablets, taken once a day. Lanoxin is the brand name for digoxin; you will find it with the other heart and blood pressure medicines. Keep the tablets sealed in their blister strips and store the pack somewhere dry.
Sources
- Digoxin: medicine for heart rhythm problems - NHS — UK National Health Service
- Heart failure - symptoms, causes and treatments - Healthdirect — Healthdirect Australia
Can I order Digoxin online in Hong Kong?
Digoxin can be ordered online with delivery to Hong Kong, and the page lists generic Lanoxin, also sold as plain Digoxin tablets, as 0.25mg tablets. An order can be cancelled within 24 hours if it has not been dispatched, and support answers 24/7 in English and Cantonese.
How are Digoxin prices shown?
The digoxin product has its own price per pack, shown on its page in HKD or your selected currency; larger packs usually cost less per unit.
Does PockDose sell generic Lanoxin?
Yes, generic Lanoxin is listed as 0.25mg tablets and contains digoxin. It is also sold as the plain version, Digoxin tablets, at 0.25mg, so the names differ rather than the strength or form.
What brand names does digoxin have?
Lanoxin is a brand name of digoxin. Here, digoxin can be bought online as generic Lanoxin. These are generics, not the original brand.
How long will I need to take digoxin?
Digoxin is usually a long-term medicine rather than a short course. It keeps symptoms such as breathlessness and a racing pulse in check while you take it, and it does not cure the underlying heart condition. Plenty of people take it for years.
What should I do if I miss a digoxin dose?
If you remember the same day and your next tablet is still hours away, take the missed dose then. If the next one is close, leave it out and carry on with your usual routine. Never take two tablets together to make up for a missed one.
Is digoxin a beta blocker?
No. Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside, which is a separate class of heart medicine. A beta blocker dampens adrenaline's push on the heart, whereas digoxin makes each contraction stronger and slows the signals reaching the lower chambers. Both can steady a fast pulse, by different routes.
Can I take ibuprofen with digoxin?
Ibuprofen and similar anti-inflammatory painkillers can raise the amount of digoxin in the blood, which makes side effects more likely. Paracetamol does not have that effect on digoxin levels.
Does digoxin lower blood pressure?
Digoxin does not lower blood pressure. It is used for the strength of the heart's pumping and for a fast, irregular heart rate, not for hypertension. Some people take it alongside blood pressure medicines, but it is not a treatment for high blood pressure itself.