Widely-Used Heart Drug May Prove Deadly

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http://www.mercola.com/2002/nov/16/digoxin.htmWidely-Used Heart Drug May Prove Deadly document.write ( "E-mail to a friend" );E-mail to a friend Digoxin, one of the country's best-selling heart drugs, may lead to an increased risk of death in women. Digoxin is a derivative of the drug digitalis, which is an herb from the foxglove plant, used to control heart failure. More than 25 million prescriptions for the drug are filled each year.The study assessed whether sex-based differences were apparent in the effects of digoxin therapy by evaluating 6,800 heart failure patients in the U.S. and Canada over a three-year period.It was found that women who used digoxin were 4.2 percent more likely to die during the study than those who used a placebo. Over 33 percent of women taking digoxin died during the study as opposed to 28.9 percent who took the placebo. Among men, no increase in death was noted. When differing factors between men and women were accounted for, researchers found that digoxin increased women's risk of death some 23 percent.A previous study found that digoxin was associated with a decrease in hospitalization among women. However, researchers point out that this decrease may not be worth the potential increased risk of death. About 550,000 Americans are diagnosed with heart failure each year; half of those diagnosed will die within five years. The disease occurs when the heart cannot pump blood efficiently through the body and usually results from an underlying heart condition such as coronary artery disease. Digoxin increases the force of contractions in the heart muscles, allowing the heart to pump more efficiently.Researchers note that although additional research is needed to confirm results, digoxin may, in fact, be harmful to women. The New England Journal of Medicine, October 31, 2002;347:1403-1411DR. MERCOLA'S COMMENT: document.write ( "E-mail to a friend" );E-mail to a friend Digoxin is one of the most commonly used drugs for heart failure. It is actually an herbal extract from the plant foxglove. It has one of the lowest therapeutic windows of any drug used. In other words, it is incredibly easy to overdose with digoxin.Why not consider simpler, less toxic approaches?Nutritional Supplements for Heart FailureCoQ10It is virtually criminal to not recommend CoQ10 for heart failure when numerous clinical trials (American Heart Journal June 2002;143(6):1092-100) have shown that it is exceptionally helpful in this area. Typical doses are 100 mg per day but can go as high as 300 mg per day.CarnitineWhile the normal heart stores more carnitine and CoQ10 than it needs, if the heart does not have a good supply of oxygen as in congestive heart failure (CHF), carnitine and CoQ10 levels quickly decrease. Dosage is 500 mg three times dailyArginineYour body uses this amino acid in the production of nitric oxide, a compound that helps increase your blood flow. Taken in small doses, it has been shown to help improve circulation in CHF patients. Arginine is not recommended for patients with kidney or liver disease, or those with any form of the herpes virus (including recurrent cold sores).TaurineYour body uses this amino acid to help regulate heart pumping through a normalization of the electrical activity of the heart. Doses would be 500 mg three times a day and is best taken as magnesium taurate as the magnesium is also helpful in CHF.HawthorneThis herb's effectiveness in improving heart function is well-documented in many double-blind trials and can be taken as a tincture 100 mg one to three times a day.Related Articles:NSAIDs Up Risk of Second Bout of Hert Failure