What is the nursing considerations for digoxin?
Table of Contents
What is the nursing considerations for digoxin?
Nursing Considerations Across the Lifespan Serum digoxin levels should be monitored, with a normal therapeutic range from 0.8 to 2 ng/mL. Serum potassium levels should also be closely monitored for patients on digoxin because hypokalemia increases the effect of digoxin and can result in digoxin toxicity.
What should be monitored prior to starting digoxin?
The electrolyte and renal status of each patient should be ascertained prior to initiating treatment and periodically thereafter. Hypokalemia or hypomagnesemia, for example, may promote the development of digoxin-induced arrhythmias, while impaired renal function may result in higher than anticipated serum drug levels.
What do I need to know before giving digoxin IV?
Assessment
- Monitor apical pulse for 1 full min before administering.
- Pedi: Heart rate varies in children depending on age, ask health care professional to specify at what heart rates digoxin should be withheld.
- Monitor BP periodically in patients receiving IV digoxin.
Which nursing interventions are important when caring for clients receiving IV digoxin?
Monitor BP periodically in patients receiving IV digoxin. Monitor ECG during IV administration and 6 hr after each dose. Notify health care professional if bradycardia or new arrhythmias occur. Observe IV site for redness or infiltration; extravasation can lead to tissue irritation and sloughing.
What additional factors should be taken into consideration when interpreting the digoxin results?
While evaluating serum digoxin concentrations, besides blood sampling time, patients’ factors that alter the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of digoxin should be taken into consideration. Renal function is the major factor affecting serum digoxin concentrations (2-8).
Can digoxin cause hypotension?
Common side effects include coughing, dizziness, and lightheadedness. Some people experience lower blood pressure (hypotension), increased potassium (hyperkalemia), and increased serum creatinine levels.
What is a priority nursing intervention with the administration of digoxin?
Monitor apical pulse for 1 full min before administering. Withhold dose and notify health care professional if pulse rate is <60 bpm in an adult, <70 bpm in a child, or <90 bpm in an infant. Notify health care professional promptly of any significant changes in rate, rhythm, or quality of pulse.
How does digoxin affect electrolytes?
Electrolyte disturbances such as hypomagnesemia, hypercalcemia, and hypokalemia lead to increased sensitivity to digoxin making toxicity more likely even with a lower concentration of serum digoxin. This makes diagnosis difficult and has led to the declining use of digoxin over the last several years.
Does digoxin affect blood pressure or heart rate?
Digoxin is a medication often used to treat atrial fibrillation, one of the most common heart rhythm disturbances. This disorder causes the heart to beat rapidly and irregularly. Digoxin lowers the heart rate and helps bring it under control.
Does digoxin cause hyponatremia?
A digitalis overdose can produce hyperkalemia and hyponatremia. In one study, moderate toxicity (serum digoxin concentration 2.5–6.0 ng/mL) resulted in a serum concentration of sodium between 130 and 145 mEq/L with a normal serum potassium concentration.
Does digoxin cause hypotension?
Why does digoxin cause hypotension?
Conclusions: Digoxin significantly decreases diastolic blood pressure during overnight sleep in patients with congestive heart failure. This effect is likely to be caused by reduction of sympathetic activity or increase of parasympathetic activity.
Can digoxin cause hyponatremia?
How does digoxin affect calcium?
Digoxin induces an increase in intracellular sodium that will drive an influx of calcium in the heart and cause an increase in contractility.
