Patient/caregiver was educated on contraindications for using Digoxin as follows:
- Digoxin interacts with a lot of other medications, such as, diuretics, OTC mineral supplements, and antibacterial/antifungal antibiotics, thus resulting in severe life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias. If you are being newly started on digoxin, discuss with your physician regarding all your current medications and their safety with digoxin. Also, notify your physician regarding any current digoxin intake, if you are being started on any new medications and discuss their safety with digoxin.
- Individuals with history of severe disturbance in the blood levels of calcium, potassium and magnesium ions in the blood can be at increased risk for toxicity and life-threatening arrhythmias with digoxin. Individuals with digoxin toxicity and arrhythmias can present with severe nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, appetite changes, headache, dizziness, confusion, yellowing of vision, shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, and palpitations. So, digoxin is used with extreme caution in individuals with history of altered ion levels of calcium, potassium, and magnesium, to prevent any risk of developing toxicity with digoxin.
