A prospective study of the clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in elderly patients

J Antimicrob Chemother. 2002 Oct;50(4):601-6. doi: 10.1093/jac/dkf176.

Abstract

The study was a prospective observational trial carried out to assess the clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in elderly patients chronically taking digoxin. Digoxin concentrations were determined before and after concomitant treatment with clarithromycin. A Bayesian approach was used to calculate digoxin pharmacokinetics. In the seven patients who were studied there was a significant increase in digoxin concentration after 4-7 days of clarithromycin treatment; digoxin clearance and elimination rate constant were 56-60% lower and elimination half-life was 82% longer. The pharmacokinetic clarithromycin-digoxin interaction in the elderly may be much more frequent than has been assumed up to now.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Bayes Theorem
  • Clarithromycin / blood
  • Clarithromycin / pharmacokinetics*
  • Clarithromycin / therapeutic use
  • Digoxin / blood
  • Digoxin / pharmacokinetics*
  • Digoxin / therapeutic use
  • Drug Interactions / physiology
  • Drug Therapy, Combination
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Patients / statistics & numerical data
  • Prospective Studies

Substances

  • Digoxin
  • Clarithromycin