What is the connection between potassium and digoxin?
Digoxin is a drug that is used to treat health conditions such as heart failure and heart vibration. This medicine is able to apply its effects by changing ion levels, such as potassium that get into the heart muscles. Therefore, potassium and digoxin has a close relationship and changes in potassium levels in a person using digoxin can lead to toxic effects. Other medicines that affect potassium ions in the body can therefore cause dangerous interactions with digoxin.
After it is removed and passed through the blood circulation, digoxin can bind to a part of the heart muscle called an ion pump. This pump is usually responsible for transporting potassium and sodium ions to these cells. Potassium and digoxin compete for the same binding point on this pump. In return, other ions are able to get into muscle cells, such as calcium, which initiates the pumping effect of the heart and prevents potassium from entering these cells.
normally exists in the bloodstream of a fine potassium balance and change theseThe levels may have toxic results. The relationship between potassium and digoxin is such that it can change this balance slightly. An individual with a low potassium in his bloodstream when taking this drug may have problems with muscles and nerves.
Toxicity, which is the result of interaction between potassium and digoxin, can lead to a number of physical problems. They may include gastrointestinal problems such as nausea, changes in vision that can lead to Halo effects around lights and even heart complications. Many of these effects are caused by a sudden increase in blood potassium from the drug, which exceeds the ability of the body to cope with it. Muscles and nerves begin to show excessive activity, leading to these effects.
Relationship between potassium and digoxin can also be disturbed by other drugs. Great attention should be paid when individuals use digoxin with any other medicine that could pot potto change the concentrations of ions in the blood. In particular, this includes diuretics, which is often administered after heart attacks. These usually cause people to urinate, depleting part of the fluid from the body. Potassium can be lost due to these lower fluid levels, which in turn can lead to toxic interactions with digoxin if removed.