[Digoxin therapy in the aged under serum level control with special reference to hypertension].

In 125 patients with hypertension in the clinical degree of severity II despite normal concentrations of creatinine and potassium in the serum at the age of more than 65 years significantly higher digoxin serum concentrations of 2.36 +/- 1.19 nmol/l (= 1.84 +/- 0.93 ng/ml) and intoxications than in younger patients with 1.45 +/- 0.55 nmol/l (= 1.13 +/- 0.43 ng/ml) were found. After discussion of the results of other investigators comes the recommendation in patients at an older age (beginning with about 65 years) and in renal insufficiency to apply digitoxin instead of digoxin, taking into consideration the mean maintenance dose of 0.1 mg/die.