Treatment of Life-Threatening Digitalis Intoxication with Digoxin-Specific Fab Antibody Fragments

In this experimental research project, dogoxin-specific antibodies obtained from sheep were used to treat 26 patients with advanced, life threatening digoxin (23 cases) or digitoxin (3 cases) toxicity. These patients all had advanced cardiac arrhythmias &, in some cases hyperkalemia, which were resistant to conventional treatment. All patients had an initial favorable response. 21 recovered fully; 5 died from other complications.(NBB)