digoxin
TRANSCRIPT
Reactions 1488, p17 - 15 Feb 2014
Digoxin
Gynaecomastia in an elderly patient: case reportA 96-year-old man developed gynaecomastia following
treatment with digoxin for atrial fibrillation with congestiveheart failure. The man was hospitalised with acuteexacerbation of congestive heart failure, and was dischargedreceiving digoxin 0.125mg daily [route not stated] for atrialfibrillation with congestive heart failure. He presented withreports of chest pain and breast enlargement bilaterally,4 months later; these symptoms developed shortly afterrelease from hospital, 4 months prior. Following medicationreview, digoxin was singled out to be the most probable causeof the gynaecomastia. Digoxin was withdrawn with resolutionof gynaecomastia after 2 months.
Author comment: "The basic structure of digitaliscompounds is similar to estrogen. Several studies haveindicated that they show affinity to the estrogen receptor,which leads to proliferation of glandular tissue. The chronicuse of digitalis derivatives therefore can lead to GM[gynaecomastia], especially in elderly men."Salman A, et al. Gynecomastia in an elderly male; is digoxin a culprit?. Journal ofGeneral Internal Medicine 28 (Suppl.): S334, No. 1, Jun 2013 [abstract] -USA 803099396
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Reactions 15 Feb 2014 No. 14880114-9954/14/1488-0001/$14.95 Adis © 2014 Springer International Publishing AG. All rights reserved