Question

A man asks a nurse why he cannot use digoxin (Lanoxin) for his heart failure, because both of his parents used it for HF. The nurse will explain that digoxin is not first-line therapy for which reason?

a. It causes tachycardia and increases the cardiac workload.
b. It does not correct the underlying pathology of heart failure.
c. It has a wide therapeutic range that makes dosing difficult.
d. It may actually shorten the patient's life expectancy.

Answer 1

The nurse informs that digoxin is not first-line therapy for heart failure because it does not correct the underlying pathology of the disease. Other medications more effectively manage the foundational issues leading to heart failure and have better outcomes for improving life expectancy.

Step-by-step explanation:

A man asks a nurse why he cannot use digoxin (Lanoxin) for his heart failure, because both of his parents used it for HF. The nurse will explain that digoxin is not first-line therapy for which reason? Digoxin, a positive inotropic agent, can be beneficial in heart failure by increasing the force of the heart's contractions and slowing certain types of arrhythmias, particularly atrial fibrillation. However, it is not first-line therapy for heart failure primarily because it does not correct the underlying pathology of heart failure.

While it can improve symptoms and quality of life, it doesn't address the foundational issues leading to heart failure. Digoxin also has a narrow therapeutic range that requires careful monitoring to avoid toxicity, and it does not have a significant impact on long-term mortality for heart failure patients. Other medications like ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, and diuretics are more effective for the initial management of heart failure as they act on the underlying mechanisms causing the disease and have been shown to improve life expectancy.