Why are digoxin and Lasix used together

  • Patients and Caregivers
  • Clinician Explanation

Monitor CloselyPotential for interaction

digoxin oral increases and furosemide oral decreases potassium levels in the blood.

Patient Drug Interactions Source: RxList

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Monitor CloselyUse Caution/Monitor.

digoxin oral increases and furosemide oral decreases serum potassium.

Clinical Drug Interactions Source: Medscape from WebMD

© 1994-2022 WebMD, LLC.

Check for more interactions with the Drug Interaction Checker

Never use this combination of drugs because of high risk for dangerous interaction

Potential for serious interaction; regular monitoring by your doctor required or alternate medication may be needed

Potential for significant interaction (monitoring by your doctor is likely required)

Interaction is unlikely, minor, or nonsignificant

Disclaimer: The information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of an appropriately qualified and licensed physician or other health care provider. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This tool may not cover all possible drug interactions. Please check with a physician if you have health questions or concerns. Although we attempt to provide accurate and up-to-date information, no guarantee is made to that effect.

Selected from data included with permission and copyrighted by First Databank, Inc. This copyrighted material has been downloaded from a licensed data provider and is not for distribution, except as may be authorized by the applicable terms of use.

CONDITIONS OF USE: The information in this database is intended to supplement, not substitute for, the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals. The information is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, drug interactions or adverse effects, nor should it be construed to indicate that use of a particular drug is safe, appropriate or effective for you or anyone else. A healthcare professional should be consulted before taking any drug, changing any diet or commencing or discontinuing any course of treatment.

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Lowers blood pressure. Removes extra water from your body.

Lasix (Furosemide) is a very effective water pill and it'll certainly make you go to the bathroom more often.

3.7/ 5 average rating with 371 reviewsforLasix

Improves heart pumping.

Lanoxin (digoxin) is effective at treating heart failure symptoms, but it doesn't lower your risk of death compared to other heart failure medicines.

3.3/ 5 average rating with 70 reviewsfordigoxin

  • A strong diuretic (water pill) that works well to get rid of extra fluids in your body through urination.
  • Lowers your blood pressure and your risk of heart attack and stroke.
  • Works better than thiazide diuretics (like Hydrochlorothiazide) at removing harmful levels of certain electrolytes, such as potassium.
  • Okay to take if you have kidney problems.

  • Lanoxin (digoxin) is used for abnormal heart rhythms, and for heart failure that can't be controlled by other medications.
  • Lanoxin (digoxin) does not need dose adjustments with people with liver problems.
  • Lanoxin (digoxin) is available in a generic form.
  • Lanoxin (digoxin) can be taken once daily.

  • Makes you urinate very frequently.
  • Can cause low levels of important electrolytes, such as potassium.

  • Lanoxin (digoxin) relieves heart failure symptoms, but doesn't lower your risk of death. It's usually used together with other medicines that help lower the risk of death in heart failure.
  • Use of Lanoxin (digoxin) requires blood tests, especially during the first few weeks of treatment to monitor drug level in the body.
  • If your blood levels of Lanoxin (digoxin) are too high, it can be life threatening.
  • Lanoxin (digoxin) is usually not an option for people with kidney problems.

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Why are digoxin and Lasix used together

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The Lasix (Furosemide) FDA package insert doesn’t have numbers about how common side effects are.

See more detailed side effects

  • Dehydration and electrolyte imbalance

    • Current electrolyte imbalance
  • Severe allergic reactions

    • History of sulfa allergies
    • Current kidney problems
    • Dose too high
    • Low blood protein
    • Other medicines that causes hearing problems
See more detailed risks and warnings

    • History of heart problems
    • Drug interactions
    • Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome
    • Low body weight
    • Elderly (>65 years old)
    • Worsening kidney function
    • Electrolyte imbalances
    • Overactive or underactive thyroid
See more detailed risks and warnings

Learn more about Lasix (Furosemide)

Learn more about Lanoxin (digoxin)

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Page 2

Characteristics of cases and matched controls

Cases (n= 595)Controls (n= 28 243)
Agea, mean (SD)77.1 (12.2)77.1 (10.3)
Days of using digoxina, median (IQR)83 (26–356)90 (45–313)
Femalea, n (%)404 (67.9)19 233 (68.1)
Chronic kidney diseasea, n (%)225 (37.8)10 192 (36.1)
Presence of HF related hospital admissions in previous yearb, n (%)100 (16.8)2 737 (9.7)
Doses of digoxin, PDD : DDDc, median (IQR)0.8 (0.6–1)0.5 (0.5–0.7)
Charlson scored, n (%)
082 (13.8)3 548 (12.6)
1149 (25.0)6 338 (22.4)
2134 (22.5)6 531 (23.1)
3114 (19.2)5 335 (18.9)
461 (10.3)3 429 (12.1)
≥555 (9.2)3 062 (10.9)
Healthcare facilities, n (%)
Academic medical centres167 (28.1)6 913 (24.5)
Metropolitan hospitals240 (40.0)8 650 (30.6)
Local community hospitals150 (25.2)8 705 (30.8)
Physician clinics38 (6.4)3 975 (14.1)
Geographical area, n (%)
Northern270 (45.4)11 995 (42.5)
Central158 (26.6)8 365 (29.6)
Southern143 (24.0)7 098 (25.1)
Eastern24 (4.0)785 (2.8)
Medical history, n (%)
Renal impairmente12 (2.0)875 (3.1)
Ventricular arrhythmiasf290 (48.7)10 259 (36.3)
Myocardial ischaemiag43 (7.2)1 678 (5.9)
Hypothyroidismh4 (0.7)199 (0.7)
Diabetes mellitusi157 (26.4)7 564 (26.8)
Medication history, n (%)
Potassium supplementsj80 (13.5)2 789 (9.9)
Trimethoprim12 (2.0)446 (1.6)
ACEIsk208 (35.0)7 594 (26.9)
Increased renal potassium lossl51 (8.6)2 526 (8.9)
Transcellular potassium shiftm141 (23.7)7 123 (25.2)