Digitalistherapie: Verschreibungshäufigkeit, Serumkonzentrationen und Auslaßversuch

The frequency of therapy with digitalis glycosides was determined in 4.143 patients on their first visit at a medical outpatient clinic. 508 (12.3%) patients said to take digitalis. Of 480 (94.5%) patients, a digoxin serum concentration was obtained. It was in 229 (47.7%) patients below, in 31 (6.5%) above, and in 220 (45.8%) within the therapeutic range (0.8–2.0 ng/ml). From the 251 patients with a serum digoxin concentration ≧0.8 ng/ml, 220 (87.7%) were not included in a withdrawal trial on the basis of predetermined criteria, mainly because of cardiac diseases (52%).