Use review of digoxin as part of a medical care evaluation study in a hospital is described. This drug audit within the hospital's quality assurance program used a multidisciplinary approach. The study was designed to measure the incidence of digoxin toxicity, evaluate monitoring practices for digoxin use and evaluate the adequacy of digoxin dosing patterns. Forty-eight patients were involved. Results indicated that some patients were not adequately assessed in regard to renal function and digoxin serum level. Further, there was a 17% incidence of digoxin toxicity. Studies such as this give pharmacists an opportunity to use their knowledge of proper drug use through a structured hospital program.
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