Because of the tendency to form clots, those who experience atrial fibrillation are most often advised to take blood thinners such as aspirin or warfarin to reduce the likelihood of stroke. Because of unpredictable variability in the potency and purity of the drug in the natural form, several decades ago physicians and pharmacists insisted that the active ingredient be extracted, purified of contaminants, and standardized. To receive the benefits, but avoid the hazards of this medicine, its dose is carefully adjusted based on age, kidney function, and the presence of other medicines. The amount of this medicine in the blood is often monitored with blood tests. Because of similar unpredictable variability in the concentration or purity of ingredients in many other herbs, scientific physicians generally prefer purified and standardized chemicals to naturally grown substances.
Digoxin is by no means the only drug used to treat heart disease and dysrhythmias.
The drugs available for prescription by physicians continue to grow in number and complexity. None of them is free of potential side effects, so treatment must be carefully individualized to each patient's condition, then carefully monitored for effectiveness and side effects. If medication is prescribed, the medicines should be taken exactly as prescribed, and in only the dosage prescribed. So, if your heart skips a beat when you are excited, don't be too alarmed. Don't go running for extract of foxglove.