Digoxin, a drug derived from foxglove plants, significantly reduced the risk of death or new-onset or worsening heart failure in patients with symptomatic rheumatic heart disease, according to an international study with an Australian author. Patients taking digoxin on top of their usual care had a 31.4% risk of death or new-onset or worsening heart failure compared with a 35.5% risk with placebo. The authors say that this suggests that digoxin may be safely used in young patients with rheumatic heart disease to prevent worsening heart failure.
Digoxin can reduce the risk of death in patients with rheumatic heart disease
