[Cardiac effects and glycoside concentrations in serum and urine after oral administration of beta-methy-digoxin to healthy individuals (author's transl)].

Six healthy individuals were digitalized orally with beta-methyl-digoxin. The serum glycoside concentration, determined radioimmunologically at the end of the digitalization period was 1.2 +/- 0.22 ng/ml. At this period of time renal excretion attained 55.9% of the daily administered oral dose. The calculated renal clearance of beta-methyl-digoxin was 63 +/- 8.1 ml/min e. g. 57.5 +/- 8.3 ml/min/1.73 m2. After discontinuation of the glycoside the serum half life was 54 h. During the digitalization period the cardiac glycoside effects could be measured by ECG changes, especially a shortening of the QT interval as well as a shortening of the left ventricular ejection time and the pre ejection period, corrected for the heart rate.