A possible interaction of potential clinical interest between digoxin and acarbose

Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics
J S SerranoB Balboa

Abstract

This case report describes a 69-year-old woman with diabetes mellitus and heart failure who repeatedly had unusual subtherapeutic levels of plasma digoxin. When the drug therapeutic regimen was checked it was found that a new drug, acarbose, had been added to the therapeutic regimen before the unexpected laboratory reported results. Because other drugs included in her therapeutic menu were rejected as being responsible for decreased levels of digoxin, it was recommended to discontinue acarbose to evaluate its role. In the absence of acarbose, the plasma concentration of digoxin increased to the therapeutic range. We concluded that acarbose may be responsible for a pharmacokinetic interaction with digoxin by a still unknown mechanism. Although discontinuation of acarbose was recommended, the attending physician discontinued administration of digoxin because the clinical condition of the patient did not get worse during subtherapeutic levels of digoxin.

References

Jun 10, 1978·British Medical Journal·J C McElnayM R Eagle
Nov 1, 1991·British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·T Pullar
Nov 1, 1985·The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology·J R Castillo-FerrandoJ S Serrano
Jan 1, 1988·European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·D R BuchananB F Clarke
Dec 1, 1974·The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology·S A Khalil
Jul 1, 1983·The Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology·J R Castillo-FerrandoF De La Torre Brasas
Aug 1, 1994·European Journal of Clinical Investigation·M Toeller
Aug 1, 1994·European Journal of Clinical Investigation·M S Rios
Feb 1, 1994·European Journal of Clinical Investigation·H Holmsen

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Citations

Jul 1, 2005·Drug Safety : an International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience·André J Scheen
Jun 21, 2005·Drug Safety : an International Journal of Medical Toxicology and Drug Experience·André J Scheen
Aug 14, 1998·Journal of Clinical Pharmacology·T MiuraM Shibakawa

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Related Feeds

Autoimmune Diabetes & Tolerance

Patients with type I diabetes lack insulin-producing beta cells due to the loss of immunological tolerance and autoimmune disease. Discover the latest research on targeting tolerance to prevent diabetes.