[Prognosis of the effect of cardiac glycosides on the extrasystole in ischemic heart disease].

The results of a single intravenous injections of strophanthin or digoxin and of a course-wise medication with cardiac glycosides in acute and chronic ischemic heart disease are contrasted. Investigations were carried out in 64 patients under cardiomonitoring with an automatic extrasystoles count. In the absence of extrasystoles or infrequent ones the cardiac glycosides provoked frequent extrasystoles in 10 per cent of the patients. The antiarrhythmic effect was recorded in 1/3 of the patients with infrequent extrasystoles. In cases of frequent extra systoles the positive result of the glycoside test justifies anticipating a beneficial influence of digitalization on the heart rate. In all the cases the results of the glycoside test determine in a large measure the individual prognosis.