Define Cardiac Glycosides

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), cardiac glycosides are chemicals that naturally occur in certain plants and can be fatal if ingested in large quantities. Cardiac glycosides affect the stomach, nervous system, heart and intestines and are a common ingredient in medications used to treat heart failure.

History

• Cardiac glycosides have been in use since as early as 1500 B.C., says the VCU School of Pharmacy. Warriors often added the extracts of plants containing cardiac glycosides to their arrows to poison targets. Cardiac glycosides were also used medically as heart tonics.

Function

• Cardiac glycosides function by increasing the force of heart contractions, which increases blood flow.

Identification

• According to the NIH, cardiac glycosides are the active ingredient in some heart medications, including Cedilanin-D, Crystodigin and Lanoxicaps. Cardiac glycosides are present in many plants, including the foxglove and oleander.

Overdose

• A cardiac glycoside overdose can be fatal, says the NIH. Symptoms of an overdose include blurred vision, rash, weakness, fainting and diarrhea.

Warning

• The NIH warns patients who suspect a cardiac glycoside overdose should not induce vomiting unless advised to do so by a medical professional. Children and the elderly are at the greatest risk of death due to a cardiac glycoside overdose.