Clinical features and successful management of suicidal digoxin toxicity without use of digoxin-specific antibody (Fab) fragments--is it possible?

A retrospective study of 147 consecutive cases of suicidal digoxin poisoning was undertaken in order to determine the severity and outcome of toxicity without use of digoxin-specific Fab fragments. This study showed that suicidal digoxin poisoning in young patients is usually mild to moderate; even underlying cardiac disease and chronic use of digoxin has no effect on the severity of toxicity and incidence of lethal dysrhythmia in these cases. This type of toxicity responds appropriately to conventional treatment.