DIGITALIS
| How they work: |
Possible Side effects: |
Special Notes: |
|
Digitalis makes the heart contract harder and is used when the heart's pumping function has been weakened. Digitalis can also be used to slow some fast heart rhythms.
|
- An irregular heartbeat that causes dizziness, the feeling that your heart has skipped a beat (palpitations), shortness of breath, sweating, or fainting
- Hallucinations, confusion, and mental changes like depression
- Unusual tiredness or weakness
- Trouble with your eyesight, such as blurry eyesight, double vision, or seeing yellow, green, or white halos around objects
- A loss of appetite or an upset stomach
Other side effects:
- Erectile dysfunction
- Breast enlargement in men
Less common side effects:
- Skin rash or hives
- Headache
- Numbness or tingling sensation over your body
- Eye sensitivity to light
- Diarrhea
- Throwing up
Tell your provider right away if you have any of these side effects. Do not stop taking your medicine unless your provider tells you to. If you stop taking your medicine without checking with your provider, it can make your condition worse.
|
Talk to your provider about your medical history before you start taking digitalis. The risks of taking the medicine need to be weighed against the good it will do.
Be sure to tell your provider if:
- You have allergies to digitalis medicines or allergies to foods or dyes.
- You are thinking of becoming pregnant, you are pregnant, or you are breast feeding your baby.
- You are over 60 and are underweight or frail.
You have other medical problems, such as thyroid disease, liver disease, lung disease, or kidney disease.
|
|