Heart arrhythmia drug may fight plaque buildup in blood vessels

New research in mice provides convincing evidence that digoxin, a drug prescribed to treat atrial fibrillation, can help protect against atherosclerosis.

Investigators found that digoxin decreased the levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL-cholesterol by 41%, 54%, and 20%, respectively, in mice treated with high-dose digoxin compared with control mice.

The findings are published in the British Journal of Pharmacology.