Résumé
The effect of short-term treatment with isradipine-a dihydro-pyridine calcium channel blocker-on IV bolus digoxin kinetics has been investigated in six normal dogs. A dose of .05 mg/Kg IV digoxin was given to each dog and blood samples were collected for digoxin assay. The dogs were then given isradipine [0.5 mg/Kg orally] for ten days followed by the same IV bolus dose of digoxin and blood samples were collected for digoxin assay. The result showed that the pharmacokinetic characters of digoxin namely, the central [V[c]] and apparant [V[d]] volume of distribution, the distribution half life [T1/2 alpha], the elimination half life [T1/2 beta], the area under concentration time curve [AUC] and total digoxin body clearance [CI] all were not significantly changed by isradipine. Serum potassium and serum creatinine were also not altered whereas serum sodium was slightly but significantly decreased by 5% [P< 0.05]. our work suggested that there is no need for special precautions and expensive unnecessary digoxin level monitoring when isradipine is combined with digoxin therapy