Lanoxin Tablet: Uses, Dosage, Side Effects, Precautions and Alternates

Quick overview

Lanoxin Tablet contains digoxin, a cardiac glycoside used to help the heart beat stronger and with a more regular rhythm. It is used for mild to moderate heart failure, atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and supraventricular tachycardia. Dosing is individualized based on age and weight, and regular monitoring is often needed. It is available as tablets, oral solution, and injection.

What is Lanoxin Tablet

Lanoxin is a tablet medicine made from digoxin, which comes from the leaves of a digitalis plant. It helps the heart beat stronger and with a more regular rhythm.

Lanoxin Tablet uses

• Mild to moderate heart failure in adults
• Control of ventricular rate in chronic atrial fibrillation
• Atrial flutter
• Supraventricular tachycardia
• Heart failure in children under specialist care

Benefits of Lanoxin Tablet

• Can improve your heart's ability to pump blood
• May make symptoms such as shortness of breath easier to manage, helping you do daily activities more easily
• Can slow down and control a fast or irregular heart rate, such as in atrial fibrillation

How Lanoxin Tablet works

Digoxin belongs to a group of medicines called cardiac glycosides. It works by slowing the rate of the heartbeat while making each beat stronger, which helps the heart pump blood more efficiently and helps control fast or irregular heart rhythms.

Lanoxin Tablet dosage

Take it exactly as your doctor tells you, following the directions on your prescription label. Try to take it at the same time every day. Swallow tablets with a full glass of water. It does not matter if you take it before or after food, but avoid high-fiber meals at the same time as your dose. Keep taking it regularly even if you feel fine or have no symptoms. Do not stop taking it suddenly without talking to your doctor, as this could make your condition worse.

If you miss a dose, take it as soon as you remember, but skip it if your next dose is due soon; do not take two doses at once. Your blood pressure, heart rate, and kidney function may need to be checked regularly, and you may need blood tests to check medicine levels in your body.

Available forms and strengths

• Tablets
• Oral solution/liquid
• Injection (intramuscular or intravenous)

Side effects of Lanoxin Tablet

Common

• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Dizziness or feeling weak
• Rash
• Anxiety, depression

Serious

• Signs of an allergic reaction such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of face, lips, tongue, or throat
• Fast, slow, or uneven heart rate
• A light-headed feeling like you might pass out
• Bloody or black, tarry stools
• Confusion, weakness, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior
• Breast swelling or tenderness
• Blurred vision or yellow-green vision, or halos around lights
• In babies or children: stomach pain, weight loss, growth delay, behavior changes
• Signs of digoxin toxicity such as confusion or hallucinations
• Dangerous heart rhythm changes or very slow heart rate

Warnings and precautions

• Do not use this medicine if you have ventricular fibrillation, a serious heart rhythm disorder.
• This medicine should never be used for weight loss, as it can cause serious problems including potentially fatal irregular heart rhythms.
• Do not stop taking this medicine suddenly without talking to your doctor, as this could make your heart condition worse.
• Avoid becoming overheated or dehydrated, as this can make an overdose more likely to occur.
• Do not take other prescription, non-prescription, or herbal medicines without advice from your doctor, since many drugs interact with digoxin.
• Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant. Digoxin crosses the placenta, and doses may need to be adjusted during pregnancy. 
• However, untreated heart failure or atrial fibrillation during pregnancy can also be harmful, so your doctor will weigh the risks and benefits.
• Talk to your doctor if you are breastfeeding, as digoxin passes into breast milk and caution should be used.
• Tell your doctor if you have kidney disease, since the effect of the medicine may be increased because it is removed from the body more slowly, and you may need a lower dose.
• Tell your doctor if you have liver problems, since this may affect how the medicine is removed from your body.
• Tell your doctor if you drink alcohol, since it may increase the likelihood of side effects.
• Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how this medicine affects you, since it may cause dizziness, blurred vision, and faintness in some patients.

Storage

• Store between 15°C to 30°C in a dry place and protect from light
• Avoid exposure to excessive heat
• Store LANOXIN tablets in a cool dry place, away from moisture, heat, or sunlight where the temperature stays below 25°C
• Keep out of reach and sight of children
• If you no longer need the medicine or it is out of date, take it to a pharmacy for safe disposal

When to see a doctor

• Get emergency medical help right away if you have signs of an allergic reaction, such as hives, difficulty breathing, or swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.
• Call your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or stomach pain; a fast, slow, or uneven heart rate; a light-headed feeling like you might pass out; bloody or black tarry stools; confusion, weakness, hallucinations, or unusual behavior; breast swelling or tenderness; or blurred or yellowed vision.
• If you think you or someone else has taken too much of this medicine, seek medical attention right away, even if there are no symptoms yet.
• Tell your doctor immediately if you become pregnant while taking this medicine.

Alternatives

• Amiodarone
• Diltiazem
• Carvedilol
• Metoprolol
• Bisoprolol