The Use of Digitalis in Patients with Pulmonary Disease

A review of available literature suggests that patients with pulmonary disease may be more susceptible to the toxic effects of cardiac glycosides than patients with normal lung function. However, few studies correlating digitalis effects with pulmonary status have characterized the type of respiratory illness present or controlled for concurrent, unrelated left ventricular disease. Indications for digitalis therapy with particular emphasis on its role in the management of cor pulmonale, the evidence for an enhanced sensitivity to cardiac glycosides, and the possible mechanisms underlying such sensitivity in patients with pulmonary disease are considered.