DIGITALIS GLYCOSIDE Meaning and
Definition
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Digitalis glycoside refers to a class of medications derived from the plant Digitalis purpurea, commonly known as foxglove. Digitalis glycosides are natural compounds that have potent cardiovascular effects and are primarily used to treat heart failure and certain cardiac arrhythmias.
These medications have a complex chemical structure composed of a steroid molecule attached to a sugar moiety, known as a glycoside. The most commonly used digitalis glycosides include digoxin and digitoxin, which have been used for centuries to treat various heart conditions.
Digitalis glycosides work by inhibiting the activity of an enzyme called Na+/K+-ATPase, which is responsible for the regulation of sodium and potassium levels within cells. By doing so, they increase the contractility of the heart muscle, improve cardiac output, and regulate heart rate, thereby improving the symptoms associated with heart failure.
Due to their narrow therapeutic index, digitalis glycosides require careful monitoring of blood levels to prevent toxicity. Overdose can lead to severe complications, including arrhythmias and even death. Therefore, healthcare professionals closely monitor patients taking digitalis glycosides through periodic blood tests and assessments of heart function.
In summary, digitalis glycosides are a class of medications derived from the foxglove plant that are effective in treating heart failure and certain cardiac arrhythmias. They work by improving cardiac output and regulating heart rate, but their use requires careful monitoring due to their potential for toxicity.
Common Misspellings for DIGITALIS GLYCOSIDE
- sigitalis glycoside
- xigitalis glycoside
- cigitalis glycoside
- figitalis glycoside
- rigitalis glycoside
- eigitalis glycoside
- dugitalis glycoside
- djgitalis glycoside
- dkgitalis glycoside
- dogitalis glycoside
- d9gitalis glycoside
- d8gitalis glycoside
- difitalis glycoside
- divitalis glycoside
- dibitalis glycoside
- dihitalis glycoside
- diyitalis glycoside
- dititalis glycoside
- digutalis glycoside
Etymology of DIGITALIS GLYCOSIDE
The word "digitalis" is derived from the Latin term "digitālis", which means "of the finger" or "finger-shaped". This is attributed to the flower known as "foxglove", scientifically named "Digitalis" due to the shape of its blossoms resembling the fingers of a glove.
"Glycoside" stems from the Greek term "glykys", meaning "sweet", and "idos", translated as "form" or "shape". It refers to a class of compounds that consist of a sugar molecule chemically linked to another compound. In the case of digitalis glycosides, the sugar component is connected to specific compounds found in the digitalis plant, which have medicinal properties.
Similar spelling words for DIGITALIS GLYCOSIDE
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