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digoxin vs dofetilide

Side-by-side comparison of digoxin and dofetilide. Data from FDA drug databases (Orange Book, NDC Directory, recalls, shortages) covering 20,000+ approved drugs, plus CMS pricing; see our methodology.

moderate Known Drug Interaction

Antiarrthymics Dofetilide Concomitant administration with digoxin was associated with a higher rate of torsades de pointes Sotalol Proarrhythmic events were more common in patients receiving sotalol and digoxin than on either alone; it is not clear whether this represents an interaction or is related to the presence of CHF, a known risk factor for proarrhythmia, in patients receiving digoxin.

Recommendation: Your doctor will need to monitor your heart's electrical activity very closely. Seek medical help if you feel faint or have chest palpitations.

Drug Class
digoxin Cardiac Glycoside
dofetilide Class III Antiarrhythmic
Type
digoxin Prescription
dofetilide Prescription
Summary
digoxin

Digoxin (Lanoxin) is a medicine that helps your heart pump better. It is used to treat heart failure and control irregular heartbeats.

dofetilide

Dofetilide (Tikosyn) helps keep your heart in a normal rhythm if you have atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. It can also help convert these abnormal rhythms back to normal.

What It Treats
digoxin

Digoxin is used to treat mild to moderate heart failure in adults. It helps the heart pump more blood with each beat. Digoxin is also used in children with heart failure to help their heart work better. In adults, it can control a fast and irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation.

dofetilide

This medicine is used to maintain a normal heart rhythm if you have atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter for more than a week, and your heart has been returned to a normal rhythm. It can also convert atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter to a normal rhythm. This medicine is for people who have bothersome symptoms from their atrial fibrillation or flutter.

How It Works
digoxin

Digoxin belongs to a class of drugs called cardiac glycosides. It works by making the heart muscle contract more strongly. It also slows down the electrical signals in the heart, which can help control irregular heartbeats.

dofetilide

Dofetilide belongs to a class of drugs called Class III antiarrhythmics. It works by changing the electrical activity in your heart. This helps to stabilize your heart rhythm and prevent irregular heartbeats.

Common Side Effects
digoxin
  • Nausea
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Dizziness
  • Headache
dofetilide
  • Headache
  • Chest pain
  • Dizziness
FAERS Reports
digoxin
  • Shortness of breath 6,062
  • Feeling sick to your stomach 4,747
  • Feeling lightheaded or unsteady 4,442
  • Feeling very tired 4,174
  • Irregular heartbeat 3,972
dofetilide
  • Irregular heartbeat 1,059
  • Shortness of breath 603
  • Feeling lightheaded 552
  • Feeling tired 521
  • Death 478
Serious Warnings
digoxin

Digoxin can cause serious side effects, including dangerous heart rhythms. You are at higher risk if you have certain heart conditions or kidney problems. Tell your doctor right away if you have nausea, vomiting, vision changes, or an irregular heartbeat.

dofetilide

This drug can cause life-threatening heart rhythm problems. To lower this risk, you must start or restart this medicine in a hospital where your heart can be watched closely for at least 3 days. The hospital staff will check your kidney function and heart rhythm regularly.

Pregnancy
digoxin

It is not known if digoxin can harm an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. The medicine passes into breast milk, but it is unlikely to harm the baby.

dofetilide

Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant. It is not known if this medicine will harm your unborn baby. Talk to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking this medicine while pregnant or breastfeeding.

Also Compare, Nearby Drugs

How to Read This digoxin vs dofetilide Comparison

digoxin is classified in the Cardiac Glycoside drug class, while dofetilide sits within the Class III Antiarrhythmic class. Drugs from different classes work through distinct mechanisms, so a head-to-head comparison illustrates trade-offs rather than equivalence. Both drugs are prescription-only, so a licensed provider must authorize use.

Adverse event totals above are pulled from the FDA's Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS). For these top-ranked reactions alone, digoxin has 23,397 submissions while dofetilide has 3,213. Those figures reflect cumulative reporting volume, not per-patient risk, so older, widely dispensed drugs typically look worse on count alone. These two drugs have a known moderate interaction flagged in FDA labeling, attributed to taking these medicines at the same time increases the risk of a serious and potentially fatal irregular heart rhythm. both drugs change how electricity moves through the heart.. Serious warnings, pregnancy guidance, and contraindications can differ even when indications overlap.

A table cannot substitute for clinical judgment. Effectiveness, tolerability, drug-drug interactions with your other medications, kidney and liver function, pregnancy status, insurance formulary, and price all feed into a decision that only a licensed prescriber can make responsibly. Data here is sourced from FDA Structured Product Labels (SPL) and FAERS, both of which update as manufacturers and clinicians submit new information. This page is for educational purposes only, is not medical advice, and should not be used to self-switch between digoxin and dofetilide - always consult your physician or pharmacist first.

Important: This comparison is for informational purposes only. Drug effects vary between individuals. Always consult your doctor or pharmacist for personalized medical advice.