Digoxin Therapy of Fetal Superior Ventricular Tachycardia : Are Digoxin Serum Levels Reliable?

BACKGROUND: Despite its seldom occurrence, fetal tachycardia can lead to poor fetal outcomes including hydrops and fetal death. Management can be challenging and result in maternal adverse effects secondary to high serum drug levels required to achieve effective transplacental antiarrhythmic drug therapy.

CASE: A 33-year-old woman at 33 weeks of gestation with a diagnosis of a fetal sustained superior ventricular tachycardia developed chest pain, shortness of breath, and bigeminy on electrocardiogram secondary to digoxin toxicity despite subtherapeutic serum drug levels. She required supportive care with repletion of corresponding electrolyte abnormalities. After resolution of cardiac manifestations of digoxin toxicity, the patient was discharged home. The newborn was discharged at day 9 of life on maintenance amiodarone.

CONCLUSION: We describe an interesting case of digoxin toxicity with cardiac manifestations of digoxin toxicity despite subtherapeutic serum drug levels. This case report emphasizes the significance of instituting an early diagnosis of digoxin toxicity during pregnancy, based not only on serum drug levels but also on clinical presentation. In cases of refractory supportive care, digoxin Fab fragment antibody administration should be considered. With timely diagnosis and treatment, excellent maternal and perinatal outcomes can be achieved.

Medienart:

E-Artikel

Erscheinungsjahr:

2016

Erschienen:

2016

Enthalten in:

Zur Gesamtaufnahme - volume:6

Enthalten in:

AJP reports - 6(2016), 3 vom: 22. Juli, Seite e272-6

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Saad, Antonio F [VerfasserIn]
Monsivais, Luis [VerfasserIn]
Pacheco, Luis D [VerfasserIn]

Links:

Volltext

Themen:

Case Reports
Digoxin
Fetal SVT
Pregnancy
Toxicity

Anmerkungen:

Date Completed 12.08.2016

Date Revised 30.09.2020

published: Print

Citation Status PubMed-not-MEDLINE

doi:

10.1055/s-0036-1586241

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

NLM263362205