Effect of Cardiac Glycosides

The cardiac glycosides in oleander prove toxic to your heart by affecting proteins called sodium-potassium pumps. Under normal circumstances, these pumps maintain an electrochemical gradient that your nerves use to control the contraction of your heart muscle, regulating your heartbeat. Without the proper functioning of the sodium-potassium pump, your nerves cannot control your heart beat, your heart muscle no longer receives fresh oxygen-rich blood, and you might suffer heart failure. In addition, oleander poisoning can also cause an abnormally fast, slow or irregular heartbeat. Though these conditions can occur in combination with a heart attack, oleander poisoning does not directly cause myocardial infarction.