[Digoxin and sinus node function in the sick-sinus syndrome (author's transl)].

In 12 patients with sinus node syndrome, the influence of Digoxin on the sinus-node function was examined. After having determined the sinus-node recovery time (SNRT), the calculated sinuatrial conduction time (SACT), and the mean cycle length, 1.2 mg Digoxin were applied intravenously; 45 minutes later the above mentioned determinations were repeated. Before applying Digoxin, the mean value of the SNRT was 1665.8 +/- 1381.5 ms, after Digoxin it was 1372.1 +/- 546.1 ms; there was no statistical significance. In regard of the SACT the values were 95.9 +/- 38.6 ms before and 125.0 +/- 31.9 ms after Digoxin (p less than 0.05). The mean cycle length remained almost unchanged (841 +/- 113.2 ms before and 847 +/- 138.4 ms after Digoxin, no significance). Thus it is to be regarded as the clinical therapeutic consequence that in these patients the glycoside application in absence of syncopes or equivalents can be administered in most of the cases without previous pacemaker-implantation. In special cases, however, mainly if there are signs of greater disturbances of the sinus node function and of the SACT, electrophysical functional-analytic examination previous to the Digoxin long-term therapy should be performed.