JAMDA
Volume 7, Issue 9 , Pages 604-606 , November 2006

Appropriate Use of Digoxin in Treating Older Nursing Home Patients With Heart Failure

  • Wilbert S. Aronow, MD, CMD

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence to Wilbert S. Aronow, MD, Cardiology Division, New York Medical College, Macy Pavilion, Room 138, Valhalla, NY 10595.

References 

  1. Hunt SA, Baker DW, Chin MH, et al. ACC/AHA guidelines for the evaluation and management of chronic heart failure in the adult: executive summary. A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Committee to Revise the 1995 Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Heart Failure). Developed in collaboration with the International Society for Heart and Lung Transplantation. Endorsed by the Heart Failure Society of America. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;38:2101–2113
  2. Aronow WS, Ahn C, Gutstein H. Prevalence and incidence of cardiovascular disease in 1160 men and 2464 older women in a long-term health care facility. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2002;57A:M45–M46
  3. Aronow WS. Echocardiography should be performed in all elderly patients with congestive heart failure. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1994;42:1300–1302
  4. Konstam M, Dracup K, Baker D, et al. Heart Failure: Management of Patients with Left Ventricular Systolic Dysfunction. Quick Reference Guide for Clinicians. No. 11. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research; 1994;AHCPR Publication No. 94-0613
  5. American Medical Directors Association. In: Clinical Practice Guideline. Columbia, MD: American Medical Directors Association; 1996;p. 1–8
  6. Aronow WS, Ahn C, Kronzon I. Normal left ventricular ejection fraction in older persons with congestive heart failure. Chest. 1998;113:867–869
  7. Aronow WS, Ahn C, Kronzon I. Comparison of incidences of congestive heart failure in older African-Americans, Hispanics, and whites. Am J Cardiol. 1999;84:611–612
  8. Aronow WS. Epidemiology, pathophysiology, prognosis, and treatment of systolic and diastolic heart failure. Cardiol Rev. 2006;14:108–124
  9. Owan TE, Hodge DO, Herges RM, et al. Trends in prevalence and outcome of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. N Eng J Med. 2006;355:251–259
  10. Aronow WS, Ahn C, Kronzon I. Prognosis of congestive heart failure after prior myocardial infarction in older men and women with abnormal versus normal left ventricular ejection fraction. Am J Cardiol. 2000;85:1382–1384
  11. Aronow WS, Ahn C, Kronzon I. Prognosis of congestive heart failure after prior myocardial infarction in older persons with atrial fibrillation versus sinus rhythm. Am J Cardiol. 2001;87:224–225
  12. Aronow WS. Treatment of systolic and diastolic heart failure in the elderly. J Am Med Dir Assoc. 2006;7:29–36
  13. Chun J, Chodosh J. Controversy in heart failure management: digoxin use in the elderly. J Am Dir Assoc. 2006;7:581–586
  14. CIBIS-II Investigators and Committees. The Cardiac Insufficiency Bisoprolol Study II (CIBIS-II): a randomised trial. Lancet. 1999;353:9–13
  15. MERIT-HF Study Group. Effect of metoprolol CR/XL in chronic heart failure: Metoprolol CR/XL Randomised Intervention Trial in Congestive Heart Failure (MERIT-HF). Lancet. 1999;353:2001–2007
  16. Packer M, Coats AJS, Fowler MB, et al. Effect of carvedilol on survival in chronic heart failure. N Engl J Med. 2001;344:651–658
  17. Aronow WS, Ahn C, Kronzon I. Effect of propranolol versus no propranolol on total mortality plus nonfatal myocardial infarction in older patients with prior myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, and left ventricular ejection fraction ≥40% treated with diuretics plus angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors. Am J Cardiol. 1997;80:207–209
  18. Flather MD, Shibata MC, Coats AJS, et al. Randomized trial to determine the effect of nevibolol on mortality and cardiovascular hospital admission in elderly patients with heart failure (SENIORS). Eur Heart J. 2005;26:215–225
  19. Lorell BH, Isoyama S, Grice WN, et al. Effects of oubain and isoproterenol on left ventricular diastolic function during low-flow ischemia in isolated blood perfused rabbit hearts. Circ Res. 1988;63:457–467
  20. Tresch DD, McGough MF. Heart failure with normal systolic function: a common disorder in older people. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1995;43:1035–1042
  21. The Digitalis Investigation Group. The effect of digoxin on mortality and morbidity in patients with heart failure. N Engl J Med. 1997;336:525–533
  22. Rich MW, McSherry F, Williford WO, et al. Effect of age on mortality, hospitalizations and response to digoxin in patients with heart failure: the DIG Study. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2001;38:806–813
  23. Rathore SS, Wang Y, Krumholz HM. Sex-based differences in the effect of digoxin for the treatment of heart failure. N Eng J Med. 2002;347:1403–1411
  24. Rathore SS, Curtis JP, Wang Y, et al. Association of serum digoxin concentration and outcomes in patients with heart failure. JAMA. 2003;289:871–878
  25. Ahmed A, Aronow WS, Fleg JL. Predictors of mortality and hospitalization in women with heart failure in the Digitalis Investigation Group trial. Am J Therap. 2006;13:325–331
  26. Ahmed A, Aronow WS, Fleg JL. Higher New York Heart Association classes and increased mortality and hospitalization in heart failure patients with preserved left ventricular function. Am Heart J. 2006;151:444–450
  27. Ahmed A, Aban IB, Weaver MT, et al. Serum digoxin concentration and outcomes in women with heart failure: a bi-directional effect and a possible effect modification by ejection fraction. Eur J Heart Failure. 2006;8:409–419
  28. Ahmed A, Rich MW, Fleg JL, et al. Effects of digoxin on morbidity and mortality in diastolic heart failure (The Ancillary Digitalis Investigation Group trial). Circulation. 2006;114:397–403
  29. Hunt SA, Abraham WT, Chin MH, et al. ACC/AHA 2005 guideline update for the diagnosis and management of chronic heart failure in the adult (A report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines (Writing Committee to Update the 2001 Guidelines for the Evaluation and Management of Heart Failure)). J Am Coll Cardiol. 2005;46:1116–1143
  30. Fleg JL, Gottlieb SH, Lakatta EG. Is digoxin really important in treatment of compensated heart failure? (A placebo-controlled crossover study in patients with sinus rhythm). Am J Med. 1982;73:244–250
  31. Aronow WS, Starling L, Etienne F. Lack of efficacy of digoxin in treatment of compensated congested heart failure with third heart sound and sinus rhythm in elderly patients receiving diuretic therapy. Am J Cardiol. 1986;58:168–169
  32. Aronow WS. Digoxin or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors for congestive heart failure in geriatric patients (Which is the preferred treatment?). Drugs Aging. 1991;1:98–103
  33. Aronow WS. Prevalence of appropriate and inappropriate indications for use of digoxin in older patients at the time of admission to a nursing home. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1996;44:588–590
  34. Fishkind D, Paris BEC, Aronow WS. Use of digoxin, diuretics, beta blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and calcium channel blockers in older patients in an academic hospital-based geriatrics practice. J Am Geriatr Soc. 1997;45:809–812
  35. Ahmed A, Allman RM, DeLong JF. Inappropriate use of digoxin in older hospitalized heart failure patients. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 2002;57A:M138–M143

PII: S1525-8610(06)00451-8

doi: 10.1016/j.jamda.2006.08.009

JAMDA
Volume 7, Issue 9 , Pages 604-606 , November 2006

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