All concepts, explanations, trials, and studies have been
re-written in plain English and may contain errors. I am
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Digoxin Reduces Risk of Death in CHFers

February 10, 2006 - Digoxin significantly lowers risk of
death and hospitalization for heart failure, according to an
analysis of the Digitalis Investigation Group (DIG) trial.
	Primary results of the DIG group trial showed
that digoxin reduced hospitalizations for heart failure but
did not improve overall risk for death, or hospitalizations
for heart failure in CHFers with EF less than 46%.
	This current analysis included 5,548 patients -
about 1/3 on digoxin with the rest on placebo after one
month of follow-up. During 40 months of follow-up, 33%
died and 31% were hospitalized with heart failure.
	For patients with digoxin blood levels between
0.5 and 0.9 ng/mL, mortality was 29%, and 33% for those
on placebo. All-cause hospitalization rate was 64% with
digoxin and 67% without. Hospitalizations for CHF were
23% with digoxin and 33% without.
	For patients with digoxin blood levels of one
ng/mL or higher, heart failure hospitalizations occurred
in 29% of digoxin patients and 33% of placebo patients. 
However, unlike digoxin at lower levels, digoxin blood
levels of 1 ng/mL and higher did not reduce risk of death.
	Since quality of life is so important to CHFers,
maybe this analysis will convince cardiologists to use
digoxin to make us feel better and to keep us out of the
hospital, even if it doesn't make us live longer. Blood
testing to maintain proper "dig" level is critical.

Source: Eur Heart J 2006;27:127-129,178-186.
Source: Reuters Health.