Digoxin Lanoxin is a blood test that doctor uses to determine the level of the medication digoxin in the patient's blood. Digoxin is a medicine which contains glycosides and is used for treating heart failure and irregular heartbeats. The medicine digoxin is available in the oral form. After taking it, the patient's body absorbs it and it then travels to body's tissue especially to heart, kidney, and liver. The test is used to determine whether you are taking the accurate amount of digoxin required. Digoxin medicine monitoring is necessary because it has a very narrow safe range of intake.
The digoxin lanoxin test is the common lgE blood test in which a small amount of blood sample is required for checking the measurement of digoxin drug in patient’s blood. It is advised that patient should wear half sleeve shirt or easily foldable sleeves shirt on the day of test as blood sample are usually taken from the veins of the elbow.
As mentioned above it is the common type of lgE blood test which requires no fasting and patient can carry on with their normal diet on the day of the test. Unless advised by the doctor, no fasting is required for the test.
Digoxin Lanoxin is used to determine the level of digoxin drug in your blood. The testing is done so that doctor makes sure that you are not taking too much or too little amount of the drug. The active ingredient in the digoxin contains cardiac glycoside which is potentially poisonous chemical. Digoxin is used to make the heart beat stronger and with a more regular rhythm. It is also used for the treatment of heart failure. A heart rhythm disorder of the atria namely atrial fibrillation is also treated with the help of the drug digoxin Lanoxin.
A small amount precisely few milliliters will be drawn out from the veins of the patient by the healthcare professional. For small children or infants blood can be drawn from puncturing the skin with the help of a needle. An antiseptic is used first to clean the skin surface.
For the veins to swell up an elastic band is placed around the upper arm. A needle is inserted into the vein to draw blood and is collected in a vial or syringe. The sample is carried in the vessel to the laboratory with your name placed over the vessel.
Type | Gender | Age-Group | Value |
---|---|---|---|
Digoxin lanoxin
|
Unisex
|
All age groups
|
0.5 - 0.8ng/ml
|
Pulmonary hypertension mainly occurs due to narrowing of the arteries of the lungs as a result of which the flow of blood is restricted. In this kind of condition, blood fails to carry oxygen to your heart and thus your heart gets adversely affected. The blood pressure of your body will get increased to a great extent if this situation remains untreated, thus leading to bdreadful consequenses, specifically situation like heart failure, serious pulmonary diseases, blood clots in lungs and congenial heart defects, etc.
There are certain forms of pulmonary hypertension, which are serious in nature and worsen with time, so much so that they are even fatal at times. It also includes forms which are non curable in nature, however, in order to improve the quality of life, symptoms can be reduced with proper treatment. The treatment for pulmonary hypertension is often complex and it takes some time to find the most appropriate treatment and requires extensive follow-up care. Your doctor might also need to change your treatment if it's no longer effective. However, when pulmonary hypertension is caused by another condition, your doctor will treat the underlying cause whenever possible.
Common Treatments for pulmonary hypertension:
Medications:
Surgeries:
Reducing Complications:
Normal pregnancy lasts for 38 to 42 weeks. However, there may be times during these weeks that you may have some physical issues such as vomiting, backache, and loose stools etc which require treatment with medicines.
Therefore, monitoring and managing these physical conditions becomes necessary to ensure a normal delivery. Management consists of both medicines and rehabilitation. Medicines are considered to be the first line of treatment; however, the health care provider needs to take care while prescribing medicines during pregnancy taking into consideration the harmful effects they can have on both – the mother and the foetus. Medicines pass on via the placenta from the mother to the foetus. Hence, before prescribing any medicine the provider should check the possibilities of the medicine causing any congenital defect. You should avoid medicines from the time of conception till the first 10 weeks, as this is the time when the foetus is most prone to the get permanent congenital deformities. Medicines given in the later stages (after 10 weeks) may cause systemic damage. For example NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) may lead to problems during labour or organ defects in the foetus.
Therefore, medicines should always be avoided during pregnancy. Still there are certain medicines, which can be taken but after consulting your physician. Let’s discuss the medicines that are safe during pregnancy.
The following is a list of medicines and their effects during pregnancy:
1. Analgesic Medicines
Paracetamol | Safe |
NSAIDs, such as aspirin | May cause heart abnormalities in the third trimester |
2. Opiates
Codeine | Effective in low doses |
Hydrocodone | Effective in low doses |
Hydromorphone | Effective in low doses |
3. Anaesthetics
Etomidate | Unknown always ask your provider |
Ketamine | Avoid during the last trimester |
Lorazepam | Avoid for severe conditions, safe for short periods |
4. Thrombolytics - The possible advantages of this class may balance the risk during pregnancy. Common medicines used are: Alteplase, Reteplase, Streptokinase, Urokinase.
5. Antidotes
Hydroxycobalamin antidote: cyanide | Safe |
Methylene blue antidote: methemoglobinemia | Has a potential risk to the mother and foetus |
6. Penicillins
First generation: penicillin G, benzathine penicillin, Bicillin, penicillin VK | Safe |
Second generation: oxacillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin | Safe |
7. Cardiac agents
Adenosine | Safe |
Digoxin | Not advised in third trimester |
Lidocaine | Safe |
8. Diabetes: Insulin is safe to use during diabetes.
9. Antacids
Famotidine | Low risk |
Ranitidine | Safe |
10. Corticosteroids: Advised for short term use
Cetirizine | Almost safe |
Chlorpheniramine | Safe |
Always talk to your physician in case of any complication and before taking any medicine given above.
Which medicines are safe to use during Pregnancy?
Normal pregnancy lasts for 38 to 42 weeks. However, there may be times during these weeks that you may have some physical issues such as vomiting, backache, and loose stools etc which require treatment with medicines.
Therefore, monitoring and managing these physical conditions becomes necessary to ensure a normal delivery.Management consists of both medicines and rehabilitation.Medicines are considered to be the first line of treatment; however, the health care provider needs to take care while prescribing medicines during pregnancy taking into consideration the harmful effects they can have on both – the mother and the foetus. Medicines pass on via the placenta from the mother to the foetus. Hence, before prescribing any medicine the provider should check the possibilities of the medicine causing any congenital defect. You should avoid medicines from the time of conception till the first 10 weeks, as this is the time when the foetus is most prone to the get permanent congenital deformities. Medicines given in the later stages (after 10 weeks) may cause systemic damage. For example NSAIDs (Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs) may lead to problems during labour or organ defects in the foetus.
Therefore, medicines should always be avoided during pregnancy. Still there are certain medicines, which can be taken but after consulting your physician. Let’s discuss the medicines that are safe during pregnancy.
The following is a list of medicines and their effects during pregnancy:
1. Analgesic Medicines
Paracetamol | Safe |
NSAIDs, such as aspirin | May cause heart abnormalities in the third trimester |
2. Opiates
Codeine | Effective in low doses |
Hydrocodone | Effective in low doses |
Hydromorphone | Effective in low doses |
3. Anaesthetics
Etomidate | Unknown always ask your provider |
Ketamine | Avoid during the last trimester |
Lorazepam | Avoid for severe conditions, safe for short periods |
4. Thrombolytics - The possible advantages of this class may balance the risk during pregnancy. Common medicines used are: Alteplase, Reteplase, Streptokinase, Urokinase.
5. Antidotes
Hydroxycobalamin antidote: cyanide | Safe |
Methylene blue antidote: methemoglobinemia | Has a potential risk to the mother and foetus |
6. Penicillins
First generation: penicillin G, benzathine penicillin, Bicillin, penicillin VK | Safe |
Second generation: oxacillin, dicloxacillin, nafcillin | Safe |
7. Cardiac agents
Adenosine | Safe |
Digoxin | Not advised in third trimester |
Lidocaine | Safe |
8. Diabetes: Insulin is safe to use during diabetes.
9. Antacids
Famotidine | Low risk |
Ranitidine | Safe |
10. Corticosteroids: Advised for short term use
Cetirizine | Almost safe |
Chlorpheniramine | Safe |
Always talk to your physician in case of any complication and before taking any medicine given above.
Gynecomastia is a condition where the tissues of the breasts swell in a boy or men. This is caused by the imbalance of testosterone and oestrogen. It might affect one or both the breasts depending on the level of hormonal imbalances. Although not considered as a serious condition, Gynecomastia can be a difficult condition to cope up with. There are multiple treatment options and surgery is one of them. In many cases, this condition goes as abruptly as it appeared. For cases that are complicated and difficult to get rid of, doctors suggest a medical procedure get rid of the condition.
Symptoms of Gynecomastia:
Some common symptoms of Gynecomastia include tenderness of breasts, swollen breast gland, pain in the breasts, discharge from the nipple etc.
Causes of Gynecomastia:
There could be many causes of this disease. If the condition is witnessed in babies, it could well come from the mother due to an overdose of oestrogen. Gynecomastia also appears during puberty resulting in the breast to swell up. The condition can again crop up after the age of 50 due to hormonal changes.
Certain medications can be a reason of Gynecomastia. Some of the common medications include certain antibiotics, anti-anxiety related medications, chemotherapy shots, HIV patients receiving HAART, cardiovascular medications such as Lanoxin, anabolic steroids etc.
Certain drugs such as heroin, alcohol, methadone, marijuana, Amphetamines etc.
Certain health conditions such as hypogonadism, hyperthyroidism, liver cirrhosis, ageing, certain tumours, failure of the kidney malnutrition etc.
Risk Factors Of Gynecomastia-
Certain risk factors of gynecomastia include older age, use of certain steroids, adolescence and other medical conditions such as Klinefelter's syndrome, tumour related to hormonal fluctuation and disease related to thyroid.
Diagnosis:
A doctor typically checks the history of drugs along with the health condition of the patient. He might also take a look at the health of the extended family. A careful tissue evaluation of the genitals, breast and abdomen are done. This is followed by a physical exam followed by prescribing certain tests such as mammograms, complete blood work, CT scan, biopsy of the tissue, MRI scan etc.
Treatment:
Most people suffering from Gynecomastia see a significant regression with periodic treatment. If however the condition arises from an underlying cause such as cirrhosis and malnutrition, a doctor suggests 2 option- medications and surgery:
Medications: Certain medications that are known to be helpful for breast related cancers are known to be effective in this condition. Some common examples of these drugs include evista, arimidex and soltamox.
Surgery: Only after exploring all medical options a doctor suggests surgery. There are 2 procedures namely mastectomy and liposuction. The latter removes the fat cells of the breast and the former removes the breast gland tissue. If you wish to discuss about any specific problem, you can consult a cosmetic surgeon.
Pulmonary hypertension mainly occurs due to narrowing of the arteries of the lungs as a result of which the flow of blood is restricted. In this kind of condition, blood fails to carry oxygen to your heart and thus your heart gets adversely affected. The blood pressure of your body will get increased to a great extent if this situation remains untreated, thus leading to bdreadful consequenses, specifically situation like heart failure, serious pulmonary diseases, blood clots in lungs and congenial heart defects, etc.
There are certain forms of pulmonary hypertension, which are serious in nature and worsen with time, so much so that they are even fatal at times. It also includes forms which are non curable in nature, however, in order to improve the quality of life, symptoms can be reduced with proper treatment. The treatment for pulmonary hypertension is often complex and it takes some time to find the most appropriate treatment and requires extensive follow-up care. Your doctor might also need to change your treatment if it's no longer effective. However, when pulmonary hypertension is caused by another condition, your doctor will treat the underlying cause whenever possible.
Common Treatments for pulmonary hypertension:
Medications:
Surgeries:
Reducing Complications: