Digoxin is prescribed to patients with congestive heart failure primarily to:
A) improve myocardial contractility and cardiac output.
B) improve blood flow to the lungs, thereby reducing pulmonary edema.
C) achieve a negative chronotropic effect and thereby reduce the myocardial workload.
D) control rapid ventricular rates, because many of these patients also have atrial fibrillation.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Digoxin is a cardiac glycoside that increases the force of myocardial contraction, resulting in an increase in cardiac output. It does not primarily improve blood flow to the lungs or achieve a negative chronotropic effect. While digoxin can be used to control rapid ventricular rates in patients with atrial fibrillation, this is not its primary purpose in patients with heart failure.

Digoxin Is Prescribed to Patients with Congestive Heart Failure Primarily