Applies to digoxin: oral solution, oral tablet.

Serious side effects of Digoxin

Along with its needed effects, digoxin may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking digoxin:

More common

• Dizziness
• fainting
• fast, pounding, or irregular heartbeat or pulse
• slow heartbeat

Rare

• Black, tarry stools
• bleeding gums
• blood in the urine or stools
• bloody vomit
• pinpoint red spots on the skin
• rash with flat lesions or small raised lesions on the skin
• severe stomach pain
• unusual bleeding or bruising

Incidence not known

• Chest pain or discomfort
• nausea
• shortness of breath
• sweating
• swelling of the feet and lower legs
• troubled breathing
• unusual tiredness or weakness

Other side effects of Digoxin

Some side effects of digoxin may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects.

Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Less common

• Agitation or combativeness
• anxiety
• confusion
• depression
• diarrhea
• expressed fear of impending death
• hallucinations
• rash
• vomiting

Incidence not known

• Blurred or loss of vision
• disturbed color perception
• double vision
• halos around lights
• headache
• lack of feeling or emotion
• loss of appetite
• night blindness
• overbright appearance of lights
• swelling of the breasts or breast soreness in both females and males
• tunnel vision
• weakness
• weight loss

For Healthcare Professionals

Applies to digoxin: compounding powder, injectable solution, oral capsule, oral elixir, oral tablet.

General

Overall incidence of adverse reactions with this drug has been reported to be 5% to 20%, with 15% to 20% of adverse events considered serious. Cardiac toxicity accounts for about one-half, gastrointestinal disturbances for about one-fourth, and CNS and other toxicity for about one-fourth of these adverse events.^[Ref]

Cardiovascular

Common (1% to 10%): Arrhythmia, conduction disturbances, bigeminy, trigeminy, PR prolongation, sinus bradycardia

Postmarketing reports: Supraventricular tachyarrhythmia, atrial tachycardia, nodal tachycardia, ventricular arrhythmia, ventricular premature contraction, ST segment depression, atrioventricular block, ventricular fibrillation^[Ref]

Gastrointestinal

Common (1% to 10%): Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, lower stomach pain

Frequency not reported: Intestinal ischemia, intestinal hemorrhagic necrosis^[Ref]

Nervous system

Common (1% to 10%): Central nervous system (CNS) disturbances, dizziness, drowsiness, headache^[Ref]

Other

Common (1% to 10%): Central nervous system (CNS) disturbances, dizziness, drowsiness, headache^[Ref]

Dermatologic

Common (1% to 10%): Skin rashes of urticarial or scarlatiniform character

Frequency not reported: Maculopapular rash^[Ref]

Metabolic

Common (1% to 10%): Anorexia or loss of appetite^[Ref]

Ocular

Common (1% to 10%): Blurred vision or visual disturbances^[Ref]

Psychiatric

Uncommon (0.1% to 1%): Depression

Frequency not reported: Apathy, confusion, anxiety, delirium, hallucination

Postmarketing reports: Psychosis^[Ref]

Hematologic

Frequency not reported: Thrombocytopenia^[Ref]