When should digoxin be held for children?

Digoxin is a medication commonly used to treat certain heart conditions, particularly in children. It is crucial to assess the heart rate before administering digoxin because the drug can have significant effects on cardiac function.

The correct answer relates to the threshold for holding digoxin in children, which is generally based on their age and the standard heart rate ranges considered safe for their specific developmental stage. For children, the established guideline suggests holding digoxin if the heart rate falls below 70 beats per minute (bpm). This is due to the concern that a low heart rate could indicate bradycardia, which may lead to adverse effects or indicate that the drug is not needed at that moment.

In practice, it is important to monitor the heart rate closely, as administering digoxin when the heart rate is too low could increase the risk of toxicity or worsen the child’s condition. Therefore, understanding these parameters for safe medication administration is vital for pediatric nursing and pharmacology.