Cardiac Medicine Certification (CMC) Practice Exam

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What monitoring is essential for patients on digoxin?

Blood glucose levels
Electrolyte levels
Therapeutic blood levels
Liver enzyme levels

The correct answer is: Therapeutic blood levels

The essential monitoring for patients on digoxin involves checking therapeutic blood levels. Digoxin has a narrow therapeutic window, meaning the difference between an effective dose and a potentially toxic dose is small. Routine monitoring of digoxin levels helps ensure that a patient remains within this window to avoid adverse effects due to toxicity or loss of efficacy. In addition to therapeutic levels, monitoring other parameters such as electrolyte levels is also important because imbalances, particularly hypokalemia (low potassium), can increase the risk of digoxin toxicity. However, the primary focus for ensuring the safe and effective use of digoxin is to regularly assess its blood concentrations, confirming that they remain within the therapeutic range specific to the patient's condition. This monitoring is crucial for guiding dose adjustments and ensuring optimal treatment outcomes.