General Information
Consumer Medicine Information
What is in this leaflet
This leaflet answers some common questions about LANOXIN.
It does not contain all the available information.
It does not take the place of talking to your doctor or pharmacist.
All medicines have risks and benefits.
Your doctor has weighed the risks of you taking LANOXIN against the benefits they expect it will have for you.
If you have any concerns about taking this medicine, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
Keep this leaflet with the medicine. You may need to read it again.
What is LANOXIN
LANOXIN belongs to a group of medicines known as cardiac glycosides. They work by slowing down the rate while increasing the force of your heart when it beats.
It is used to treat certain heart problems, such as:
Chronic Heart failure
Heart failure is when your heart can’t pump strongly enough to supply blood needed through out the whole body. It is not the same as a heart attack and does not mean that your heart stops.
Certain type of irregular heart beats
Irregular heart rhythms caused by an electrical problem in the upper chamber of your heart. They cause your heart to beat too fast or in an uneven way.
Your doctor may have prescribed LANOXIN for another reason.
Ask your doctor if you have any questions about why LANOXIN has been prescribed for you.
There is no evidence that LANOXIN is addictive.
Before you take LANOXIN
When you must not take it
Do not take LANOXIN if you have an allergy to:
digoxin or other cardiac glycosides
any of the ingredients listed at the end of this leaflet.
Symptoms of an allergic reaction to LANOXIN may include:
shortness of breath, wheezing or difficulty breathing
swelling of the face, lips, tongue or other parts of the body
skin rash, itching or hives
Do not take LANOXIN if you have or have had any of the following medical conditions:
intermittent or complete heart block or second degree atrioventricular block, (conditions where the heart misses beats) especially if there is a history of Stokes-Adams attacks.
ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation (a type of irregular heart rhythm).
irregular heart rhythm caused by cardiac glycoside overdose.
certain other irregularities of heart rhythm.
If you are not sure whether you should start taking LANOXIN, talk to your doctor or pharmacist.
Do not take LANOXIN after the expiry date (EXP) printed on the pack.
Do not take LANOXIN if the packaging is torn or shows signs of tampering. If it has expired or is damaged, return it to your pharmacist for disposal.
Before you start to take it
Tell your doctor if you have allergies to:
any other medicines
any other substances, such as foods, preservatives or dyes
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant. Pregnant women may require an adjustment of the dose of LANOXIN during pregnancy. LANOXIN may have harmful effects on the developing baby if the dose is too high.
Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding or plan to breast-feed.
Tell your doctor if you have or have had any medical conditions, especially the following:
Heart disease
Heart disease caused by lack of vitamin B, known as ‘Beri-Beri disease’
Lung problems
Liver or kidney problems - effect of LANOXIN may be increased because of slower removal from the body
Thyroid disease - patients with low or high thyroid gland activity may be more or less sensitive to the effects of LANOXIN
High or Low levels of calcium, potassium in your blood
Low level of magnesium in your blood
Digestion problems
If you have not told your doctor or pharmacist about any of the above, it is important to tell them before you start taking LANOXIN.
Taking other medicines
Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are taking any other medicines, including any that you buy without a prescription from your pharmacy, supermarket or health food shop.
Some medicines and LANOXIN may interfere with each other.
These include:
amphetamine, appetite suppressants, medicines for colds, sinus problems, hay fever or other allergies - may increase the risk of heart rhythm problems
medicines for heart problems, including high blood pressure (hypertension) and irregular heart beat (arrhythmia)
diuretics (water tablets),
potassium supplements
medicines for cancer
medicines for depression
medicines for bacterial infection (antibiotics)
medicines for fungal infections (antifungals)
medicines for stomach problems, including for nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea or indigestion
some laxatives
medicines for relieving asthma attacks or other breathing problems
corticosteroids (e.g. hydrocortisone, dexamethasone, prednisolone, prednisone)
medicines for diabetes (e.g. insulin, glucagon)
cholestyramine, a medicine used for high cholesterol
phenytoin, a medicine used to control epilepsy
indomethacin – medication used for inflammation, gout or arthritis
St John’s Wort
St John’s Wort may interfere with LANOXIN.
These medicines may be affected by LANOXIN, or may affect how well it works. You may need different amounts of your medicine, or you may need to take different medicines. Your doctor will advise you.
If you not sure if any of the above apply to you, talk to your doctor or pharmacist before taking LANOXIN.
How to take LANOXIN
Follow all directions given to you by your doctor or pharmacist carefully. They may differ from the information contained in this leaflet.
If you do not understand the instructions on the pack, ask your doctor or pharmacist for help.
How much to take
Your doctor or pharmacist will tell you how much LANOXIN you will need to take each day. This depends on your condition and whether or not you are taking any other medicines.
How to take it
Tablets:
Swallow LANOXIN tablets with a glass of water.
Liquid:
Shake the bottle well and accurately measure the dose with the calibrated dropper provided. Shaking the bottle and using the dropper will make sure that you get the correct dose.
After you begin taking LANOXIN your doctor may sometimes check its level in your blood. This will help your doctor find out if your dose needs to be changed.
Do not change your dose of LANOXIN unless your doctor tells you to do so.
When to take it
Take LANOXIN at same time each day. Taking LANOXIN at the same time each day will have the best effect. It will also help you remember when to take it.
It does not matter if you take LANOXIN before or after food.
If you forget to take it
Take it as soon as you remember. However, if it is almost time for your next dose, skip the dose you missed and take your next dose when you are meant to.
Do not take a double dose to make up for the dose that you missed. This may increase the chance of you getting an unwanted side effect.
If you are not sure what to do, ask your doctor or pharmacist.
How long to take it
Continue taking LANOXIN for as long as your doctor tells you. LANOXIN helps control your condition, but does not cure it. Therefore, you must take LANOXIN every day.
If you take too much (Overdose)
Immediately telephone your doctor or the Poisons Information Centre (telephone 13 11 26), or go to Accident and Emergency at your nearest hospital, if you think that you or anyone else may have taken too much LANOXIN. Do this even if there are no signs of discomfort or poisoning. You may need urgent medical attention.
Symptoms of an overdose to LANOXIN include some of the side effects listed below.
Some early warning signs of overdose are loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, or extremely slow heart beat.
In infants and small children, the earliest signs of overdose are changes in the rate and rhythm of the heart beat.
Children may not show the other symptoms as soon as adults.
While you are using LANOXIN
Things you must do
Tell your doctor immediately if you notice any side effects from LANOXIN.
Tell any other doctors, dentists, and pharmacists who are treating you that you are taking LANOXIN.
You must tell your doctor, dentist, or pharmacist that you are taking LANOXIN before you start taking any medicines you buy from a pharmacy, health food shop or supermarket.
If you plan to have surgery that needs a general anaesthetic, tell your doctor or dentist that you are taking LANOXIN.
If you become pregnant while taking LANOXIN, tell your doctor immediately.
If you need to have any medical tests while you are taking LANOXIN, tell your doctor. LANOXIN may affect the results of some tests.
Be sure to keep all of your doctor’s appointments so that your progress can be checked. Your doctor will check your progress and may want to take some blood tests from time to time. This helps to prevent unwanted side effects.
Things you must not do
Do not give LANOXIN to anyone else, even if their symptoms seem similar or they have the same condition as you.
Do not take LANOXIN to treat any other complaints unless your doctor tells you to.
Do not stop taking LANOXIN, or change the dose, even if you are feeling better, without checking with your doctor.
Things to be careful of
Be careful driving or operating machinery until you know how LANOXIN affects you. LANOXIN may cause dizziness, blurred vision, and faintness in some patients. Make sure you know how you react to LANOXIN, before you drive a car, operate machinery, or do anything else that could be dangerous if this happens.
Side effects
All medicines can have side effects. Sometimes they are serious, most of the time they are not. You may need medical treatment if you get some of the side effects.
Ask your doctor or pharmacist to answer any questions you may have.
If any of the following happen, tell your doctor or pharmacist immediately:
nausea or vomiting, loss of appetite
diarrhoea
lower stomach pain
slow or irregular heart beats (may be fast in children)
unusual tiredness or extreme weakness
general feeling of ‘unwellness’
blurred vision or visual disturbances (e.g. coloured halos around objects ie. yellow, green, or white)
depression
headache
mental disturbances, such as confusion or feeling indifferent
skin rash
painful, swollen breasts, or breast enlargement in men
bleeding or bruising more easily than normal
These may be serious side effects. You may need urgent medical attention. Serious side effects are rare or are caused by a dose of LANOXIN that is too high for you.
Tell your doctor immediately if you have:
Palpitations
Chest pain
Shortness of breath or sweating
These can be symptoms of a serious heart problem caused by new irregular heart beats of a different type to those caused by atrial fibrillation (which LANOXIN is often used to treat). If these happen, tell your doctor immediately.
Your doctor may do regular checks on your blood levels of digoxin and body salts, as well as your kidney function to make sure LANOXIN is working safely for you.
This is not a complete list of side effects. Tell your doctor if you notice anything else that is making you feel unwell, even if it is not on this list.
Do not be alarmed by this list of possible side effects. You may not experience any of them.
After taking LANOXIN
Storage
Keep it where children cannot reach it. A locked cupboard at least one-and-a-half metres above the ground is a good place to store medicines.
Keep your LANOXIN tablets in the pack and the liquid in the bottle until it is time to take them. If you take the tablets or liquid out of the pack, they will not keep well.
Keep your medication in a cool dry place and protect from light.
Store LANOXIN Tablets and LANOXIN Paediatric Elixir in a cool, dry place away from light and where temperature stays below 25°C.
Do not store LANOXIN or any other medicine in the bathroom or near a sink.
Do not leave it in the car on hot days or on windowsills. Heat and dampness can destroy some medicines.
Disposal
If your doctor tells you to stop taking LANOXIN or the medicine has passed its expiry date, ask your pharmacist what to do with any that is left over.
Product description
What it looks like
Tablets: (oral)
0.0625 mg, blue, biconvex, round tablet coded “U3A” on the upper face, bottom face plain; in bottles of 200.
0.250 mg, white, biconvex, round tablet, scored and coded “X3A” on the upper face, bottom face plain; in blister packs of 100.
Liquid: (oral)
50 microgram per mL in 60 mL bottles with calibrated dropper. Do not dilute.
Ingredients
Active ingredient:
Digoxin
Other ingredients:
LANOXIN Tablets: lactose, maize starch, rice starch, and magnesium stearate.
LANOXIN PG Tablets also contain povidone and indigo carmine – Cl73015
LANOXIN Paediatric Elixir: sucrose 30%w/v, sodium phosphate, citric acid, ethanol, propylene glycol, quinoline yellow - Cl47005, methyl hydroxybenzoate.
The Australian Product Registration Numbers for:
LANOXIN Tablets: AUST R 11109
LANOXIN PG Tablets: AUST R 11108
LANOXIN Paediatric Elixir: AUST R 42757
Supplier
Sigma Pharmaceuticals (Australia) Pty Ltd
96 Merrindale Drive
Croydon Victoria 3136
Australia (A.C.N. 004 118 594)
Telephone: (03) - 9839 2800
This leaflet was prepared in March 2000 and updated in June 2001, January 2009.