Digitalis digitalis. As a result of increased contractility, stroke volume is increased. Ultimately, digitalis increases cardiac output (Cardiac Output=Stroke Volume x Heart Rate). This is the mechanism that makes this drug a popular treatment for congestive heart failure, which is characterized by low cardiac output. Digitalis also has a vagal effect on the parasympathetic nervous system, and as such is used in re-entrant cardiac arrhythmias and to slow the ventricular rate during atrial fibrillation. The dependence on the vagal effect means digitalis is not effective when a patient has a high sympathetic nervous system drive, which is the case with acutely
Bath salts (drug) Bath salts (drug) "Bath salts" (also "psychoactive bath salts", "PABS", or in the United Kingdom monkey dust) is a term used to describe several recreational designer drugs. The name derives from instances in which the drugs were disguised as bath salts. The white powder, granules, or crystals often resemble bath salts such as Epsom salts, but differ chemically. The drug's packaging often states "not for human consumption" in an attempt to circumvent drug prohibition laws. Recreational drugs have also been disguised as plant food, hookah cleaner and other products. Synthetic cathinones such as mephedrone, which are chemically similar to cathinone,