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Cardiotoxicity of Digitalis

  • Conference paper
Toxic Interfaces of Neurones, Smoke and Genes

Part of the book series: Archives of Toxicology ((TOXICOLOGY,volume 9))

Abstract

The principal effect of cardioactive glycosides (CG) is the inhibition of the (Na+ +K+)-ATPase system with subsequent increase in contractility of the myocardium. In subtoxic and toxic concentrations, CG increase O2 consumption due to a transient Ca2+ overload. Furthermore, the activity of several enzymes of the citrate cycle is changed; cAMP transiently rises with reduction of myocardial ATP, and intracellular lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase are lost in the coronary fluid. The antagonistic action of β-receptor blocking agents is caused by their membrane-stabilizing effect. O2-consumption is increased in the non-failing heart, while in the failing one it decreased. The CG-induced arrhythmias are caused (1) by inhibition of the ATPase system of excitable cardiac structures, and (2) by interaction of CG with the autonomic nervous system. Severe intoxications and the rapid disappearance of cardiac symptoms upon administration of Fab fragments suggest that the CG-induced changes on the molecular level (with the exception of those on the ATPase system) are of secondary significance.

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Abbreviations

CG:

Cardioactive glycosides

MVO2 :

myocardial oxygen consumption

Fab:

antibody binding fragment

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Clinical Pharmacology, Medical Academy Erfurt, DDR-5010, Erfurt, GDR

    K.-O. Haustein

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  1. K.-O. Haustein
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Trinity College, University of Dublin, Dublin 2, Ireland

    Claire M. Chambers  & Philip L. Chambers  & 

  2. Department of Environmental Hygiene and Toxicology, National Public Health Institute, P.O.B. 95, SF 70701, Kuopio, Finland

    Jouko Tuomisto

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© 1986 Springer-Verlag

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Haustein, KO. (1986). Cardiotoxicity of Digitalis. In: Chambers, C.M., Chambers, P.L., Tuomisto, J. (eds) Toxic Interfaces of Neurones, Smoke and Genes. Archives of Toxicology, vol 9. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-71248-7_25

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-71248-7_25

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-540-16589-7

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-71248-7

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