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HelpTest Code LAB23 Digoxin
Useful For
- Diagnosis of digoxin toxicity
- Monitoring therapeutic drug levels. Digoxin can be used to treat congestive heart failure and cardiac arrhythmias.
Methodology
Immunoturbidimetric
Performing Laboratory
Bozeman Health Laboratory Services
Specimen Requirements
Note: Blood specimens for digoxin levels should be collected at least 6 to 8 hours after the last oral dose. By this time, serum digoxin levels are expected to be in equilibrium with tissue levels and should correlate with pharmacologic effects.
Specimen Type: Plasma or Serum
Container/Tube: Light-green top (lithium heparin gel), red top, or gold top
Specimen Volume: 1 mL
Specimen Minimum Volume: 0.5 mL
Collection Instructions: Date and time of last dose and date and time of draw are required.
Specimen Rejection: Specimens should not be repeatedly frozen and thawed.
Specimen Transport Temperature
Refrigerated
Specimen Stability
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Serum or Plasma | Refrigerated | 24 hours |
| Frozen | 14 days |
Reference Values
Therapeutic concentration: 0.9-2.0 ng/mL
Toxic concentration (automatic call-back): >2.0 ng/mL
The therapeutic range of 0.9-2.0 ng/mL includes effective serum concentrations for a wide range of patient populations, although lower concentrations of 0.5-1.2 ng/mL (0.64-1.54 nmol/L) have been found to be more appropriate in certain populations such as chronic heart failure patients. Digoxin toxicity is commonly associated with serum levels >2.0 ng/mL but may occur with lower digoxin levels. Consequently, analysis of serum concentrations alone is not sufficient for optimization of digoxin therapy. Additional factors such as age, thyroid condition, electrolyte balance, hepatic and renal functions, and other clinical symptoms must be considered.
Day(s) Test Set Up
Monday through Sunday
Test Classification and CPT Coding
80162