DIGITOXIN Meaning and
Definition
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Digitoxin is a cardiac glycoside drug that is derived from the leaves of the common foxglove plant (Digitalis purpurea). It is primarily used for the treatment of various heart conditions such as atrial fibrillation, atrial flutter, and congestive heart failure.
As a potent pharmaceutical agent, digitoxin acts by blocking the sodium-potassium ATPase pump in the cellular membrane of cardiac muscle cells, leading to an increase in intracellular sodium concentration. This rise in intracellular sodium stimulates the sodium-calcium exchanger in the cells, resulting in an increase in intracellular calcium levels. The elevated calcium concentration enhances the strength and force of myocardial contractions, leading to an improvement in cardiac output and overall heart function.
In addition to its positive inotropic effects, digitoxin also acts as a negative chronotropic agent by slowing down the heart rate, enabling the heart to pump more effectively. It achieves this by increasing the tone of the vagus nerve, which suppresses the electrical conduction through the atrioventricular node and prolongs the refractory period.
However, digitoxin should be used with caution due to its narrow therapeutic index and potential for toxicity. Overdose or excessive use may result in serious adverse effects such as arrhythmias, gastrointestinal disturbances, visual disturbances, and even cardiac arrest.
Overall, digitoxin is a medication that is primarily prescribed for its positive inotropic and negative chronotropic effects, making it a valuable therapeutic option for managing certain cardiac conditions.
Common Misspellings for DIGITOXIN
- sigitoxin
- xigitoxin
- cigitoxin
- figitoxin
- rigitoxin
- eigitoxin
- dugitoxin
- djgitoxin
- dkgitoxin
- dogitoxin
- d9gitoxin
- d8gitoxin
- difitoxin
- divitoxin
- dibitoxin
- dihitoxin
- diyitoxin
- dititoxin
- digutoxin
Etymology of DIGITOXIN
The word "digitoxin" has its etymology rooted in Latin and Greek.
The term "digitoxin" is derived from the Latin word "digitus", meaning "finger", due to the use of leaves from the plant Digitalis purpurea, commonly known as foxglove, which have finger-like projections.
The second part of the word, "oxin", is added to indicate that digitoxin belongs to a group of cardiac glycoside compounds found in the foxglove plant.
Overall, the etymology of "digitoxin" reflects the origin of its medicinal use from the foxglove plant.
Similar spelling words for DIGITOXIN
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