What are early signs of digoxin toxicity?

• A. Nausea and Vomiting
• B. Headache and Dizziness
• C. Rash
• D. High Fever

Answer: (A)

Digoxin toxicity often begins with gastrointestinal symptoms. The drug’s effect on the gut and vagal tone commonly produces nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and abdominal discomfort early on. These GI signs tend to appear before more dangerous effects like slowed heart rate or arrhythmias, making them classic early clues that a patient may be developing toxicity.

Headache and dizziness can occur but are less specific to digoxin and may arise from many different causes. A rash is not a typical presentation of digoxin toxicity, and a high fever points away from toxicity and toward infection or another illness. If early GI symptoms occur, it’s important to assess for other signs such as bradycardia, vision changes (e.g., blurred or yellow-green vision), or arrhythmias, and to review digoxin dosage and electrolytes, especially potassium, which can influence toxicity risk.