Myocardial distribution of digoxin and renal function

Abstract

Digoxin concentmtions in serum and left ventricular tissue were measured at autopsy and related to estimated antemortem creatinine clearances in 15 patients. A significant correlation teas found between myocardium:serum concentmtion ratio of digoxin and creatinine clearance. This phenomenon partly explains the large variability in tissue:serum ratios of digoxin reported in the literature and is consistent with the relatively smaller apparent volume of distribution of digoxin reported in patients with impaired renal function.