Patient/caregiver was educated on precautions to be exercised while taking Digitek as follows:
- Digitek, despite having the therapeutic effect of controlling rapid heart rate and arrhythmias, also carries the risk of causing and aggravating some underlying ventricular cardiac arrhythmias, leading to severe debility and death. Individuals can present with signs and symptoms of worsening arrhythmias, such as, frequent episodes of fatigue, lightheadedness, near fainting, shortness of breath, chest pain or discomfort, generalized weakness, sudden vision changes, and/or pounding irregular heartbeat. Starting the medication at a low dose, watching closely for the therapeutic response, and gradually changing the dose, to help optimum control of your symptoms, can contribute to controlling/reducing the risk for life-threatening arrhythmias.
- Periodical labs could be ordered for measuring the Digitek levels in the blood, as the therapeutic and toxic levels of Digitek in the blood are very close. Also, while taking Digitek, labs could be ordered for close monitoring of calcium, potassium and magnesium ion levels in the blood, as disturbance with the blood levels of these ions can contribute to increasing risk for toxicity and life-threatening arrhythmias with Digitek.
- Taking the medication at regularly spaced intervals helps with maintaining appropriate blood levels of Digitek needed to derive the beneficial effects for optimal cardiac function.
