Lanoxin Medication - Uses & Side Effects

Generic Name: Digoxin

Lanoxin helps the heart to beat more strongly and regularly. Digoxin is used to treat heart failure and abnormal heart rhythms. It helps the heart work better and it helps control your heart rate. DIGOXIN (Lanoxin®, Lanoxicaps®) is a cardiac glycoside that can help a weakened heart to function properly. Digoxin increases the strength of the heart muscle, helps to maintain a normal heart rhythm, and helps to remove excess water from the body. Digoxin can relieve symptoms of congestive heart failure, a condition that reduces the ability of the heart to pump enough blood through the body. These symptoms include such as swelling of the feet and legs, difficulty breathing, and extreme tiredness or weakness. It can also help to regulate heart rhythm problems.

Lanoxin Dosage

• A typical maintenance dose might be a 0.125 milligram or 0.25 milligram tablet once daily. The exact dose will be determined by your doctor, based on your needs.
• Infants and young children usually have their daily dose divided into smaller doses; children over age 10 need adult dosages in proportion to body weight as determined by your doctor.

Uses of Lanoxin

• Lanoxin is used to treat conditions such as congestive heart failure and atrial fibrillation.
• It is also used to treat heart pain (angina) and may be used after a heart attack.

Side Effects of Lanoxin

If you are taking this medication, then discuss the side effects with your doctor. If you feel any change in intensity, then you should tell your doctor. Because only your doctor can determine if it is safe to continue using Lanoxin. Side effects may include:

• Apathy
• blurred vision
• breast development in males
• change in heartbeat
• confusion
• diarrhea
• dizziness
• headache
• loss of appetite
• lower stomach pain
• nausea
• psychosis
• rash
• vomiting
• weakness
• yellow vision

Warnings and precautions before taking Lanoxin:

• You should tell the doctor that you are taking Lanoxin if you have a medical emergency and before you have surgery or dental treatment.
• You should also tell your doctor and pharmacist what prescription and nonprescription medications you are taking, including such as antacids, antibiotics, calcium, corticosteroids, diuretics ('water pills'), other medications for heart disease, thyroid medications, and vitamins.
• Tell your doctor and pharmacist if you are allergic to digoxin, digitoxin, or any other drugs.

Drug Interaction :-

If you are taking certain drugs with Lanoxin, then it may decreased, increased or altered the effects of Lanoxin medicine. It is especially important to check with your doctor before combining Lanoxin with the following:

• Antibiotics such as neomycin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and clarithromycin
  
• Beta-blocking blood pressure drugs such as Tenormin and Inderal
  
• Calcium (injectable form)
  
• Cyclosporine (Sandimmune)
  
• Diphenoxylate (Lomotil)
  
• Heartbeat-regulating drugs such as Quinidex
  
• Indomethacin (Indocin)
  
• Kaolin-pectin
  
• Metoclopramide (Reglan)
  
• Propafenone (Rythmol)
  
• Rifampin (Rifadin)
  
• Spironolactone (Aldactone)
  
• Thyroid hormones such as Synthroid
  
• Water pills such as Lasix

Overdose

When you are taking Lanoxin, and you feel that overdose is suspected then contact your doctor immediately. Symptoms of an Lanoxin overdose may include:-

• nausea
• vomiting
• decreased appetite
• diarrhea
• confusion
• seizures
• hallucinations
• light "halos" around objects
• green or yellow vision
• fatigue
• irregular heartbeats