Diltiazem dosing for atrial fibrillation
Common Questions and Answers about Diltiazem dosing for atrial fibrillation
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Although I said not to tolerate Verapamil, a doctor gave me another calcium blocker, Diltiazem, when I had atrial fibrillation. When I came home, I had to decrease the daily dose to half and then stop using it totally. Diltiazem made me weak (possibly low BP or pulse) and the rhythm became very variable. Doctors should be careful when prescribing calcium channel blockers.
By the way, my pulse pressure (in sinus rhythm) can vary between 14 and 130. What does this mean? Is this normal?
My otherwise healthy 86 yo. mom was diagnised with Atrial Fibrillation and was admitted to the hospital for seven days. She is otherwise very healthy and was only on Hyzaar for blood pressure prior.
She was told her heart was strong and showed minimal damage, chest Xray proved negative, stress test was passed with exceptional results, but was kept hospitalized until her heart rate stopped spiking. She is now on 5.0 mill.
I could handle the fatigue and muscle aches but the chest pain and SOB did me in. Recently I was on Diltiazem for awhile. Was tired a bit, had headaches the first couple of weeks but overall it wasn't a bad med. I can't take beta blockers because of asthma. The Diltiazem was helpful in easing some of my tachy times and got rid of my chest pains.
Flecainide and Dilt are a common combination for management of symptomatic atrial fibrillation in patients with normal healthy hearts. It's an effective regimen that you will have to stay on. There is no way to cure atrial fibrillation with medications, however, there is an ablation procedure which is indicated in those who can't tolerate medications. There is about a 75% chance of curing atrial fibrillation with this procedure. You have to stay on the ASA for life.
Hi ! I have been taking Flecainide 100mg twice daily for 9 years for Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation. Since taking it I have noticed a small amount of hair loss each time I wash my hair but I still have my hair - it hasn't thinned or anything. I did notice fatigue for a while after starting the drug but I think once my body got used to it that passed. Hope all goes well for you.
(2) is an ablation a viable option for vagally mediated atrial fibrillation? (3) are there any tests that can be performed to check the function of the vagus nerve? (4) Should I also see a neurologist, and if so are there any subspecialties to look for that focus on the vagus nerve?
I should note that I am seeing my electrophysiologist this week, and I am scheduled to see a gastroenterologist sometime soon. I am on diltiazem, but I only take as needed to convert out of AFib.
I was diagnois with Atrial Fibrillation in 2007. I have been in and out the hospital for the first year. No one know what I had. I got sick at work and
the ambulance take me to Georgetown University Hospital, in the emergency room, I had several doctor's come in and did not know what
was going on with me. I had the one doctor. She request all kinds of test
to be done. This doctor to me I am having Atrial Fibrillation. I did not know
what that was.
I have fairly consistent AFib and am an extremely active cyclist, xc skier and hiker (68 years old-AFib for about 10 years). I am on Tikosyn, Diovan, Coumadin, and Diltiazem. Will a two-lead Pacemaker have any effect on my activity levels? How will the Pacemaker affect the AFib? I barely notice the AFib when exercising, but a try on a beta blocker kept my heartrate so low I couldn't ride my bike. Is there any advantage to getting the Pacemaker now vs waiting?
How do you know that you are having a PVC vs a PAC vs ..... whatever??
I know my heart beat becomes strong, erratic, thumping. If I am near my oximeter I can see the HR jump around all over the place. I don't always have my oximeter w/me so can't always see what my HR is but I can sure FEEL what is going on.
While the episodes are still short, maybe 10-15 minutes or even less, maybe 5 minutes sometimes, they are increasing in frequency - and in discomfort.
He also put me on Diltiazem ER, with instructions to take three 30mg diltiazem fast acting, 30 minutes apart for an episode (which I just had this evening).........I add a 7.5 mg Tranxene, and that seems to help end it.......I'm nort an anxious person, but it's my opinion that my brain just automatically goes into that state when my heart is beating that fast and erratic.........
I am one year older than you, so I do not stand a a proof of living into 80 years, but I can say I have suffered from atrial fibrillation and other heart problems for about 15 years and following my medical advice has helped sustain my life that long.
Happy to hear that the ablation worked for you. Do you know what the SVT was? (e.g., Atrial Flutter, Atrial Fibrillation, single focus atrial tachycardia?
It is possible my memory is just failing me, but at the moment at least I have no idea what those letter stand for (would guess Atrial Tachycardia for the AT part... still not helpful for me).
Again, not anything I can directly relate to but it seems to me reasonable that discuss "start gerding up what food I ate at eveing meal or at nite." with at least you primary care doctor.. are you being treated for "gerd"?
Technically atrial fibrillation with a rate as fast as 240 would be a type of SVT. I hope you have a primary care physician trying who is working on rate control because 240 is outrageoulsy fast!
I have been in atrial fibrillation for about a year .I have been asking to come off these pills for that long and the doctors ignore my wishes.
Now I am in the UK and I tell a two different pharmacies my problem. I think metropolol and diltiazem should not be combined they are contraindicated and make me feel awful. I had no afib symptoms before these pills. They make me feel worse than I ever felt in my life.
Hi,
What about trying propranolol (inderal)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inderal
I use it for mitral valve arrhythias (fibrillation) to reduce rate though I have a minor side effect (Raynaud's disease). or Lowpressor http://blood-pressure.emedtv.com/lopressor/lowpressor.html
http://www.pdrhealth.com/drugs/rx/rx-mono.aspx?contentFileName=Lop1235.html&contentName=Lopressor&contentId=315
Do you have blue fingers, LBBB, atrial enlargement or other?
Speaking of HR, what is the reason that you see an electrophysiologist? Atrial fibrillation? and are you feeling poorly when your heart rate is 40s?
I would say that if your HR needed to be a little faster than 40s, then adjust metoprolol or diltiazem as your had done, but then increase the enalapril and/or telmisartan to treat the blood pressure.
Is there any way of distinguishing between ventricular and atrial fibrillation from the symptoms? The holter does not catch the arrhythmia due to sporadic episodes.
s important to realize that pacemakers are not an effective treatment for atrial fibrillation, but many patients with atrial fibrillation have a pacemaker to allow your doctor to put you on medications. It also will also not treat your PVC's.
For some insight, Atrial Fibrillation induces an abnormal heart rhythm (irregular, slow, fast, skipped beats) and can affect almost anyone. Although it is linked to several cardiac conditions, Artial Fibrillation can also occur in otherwise normal hearts. The risk of Atrial Fibrillation increases significantly with age.
My dad have a really enlarged left atrium (after decades of hypertension) which puts him a risk group for atrial fibrillation. He never had atrial fibrillation yet (except post-op bypass, almost everyone in that setting get atrial fibrillation for a couple of days). He is not very worried about atrial fibrillation.
PACs may set off short runs of atrial fibrillation in rare cases but for the arrhythmia to be sustained, changes must have been made to the left atrium.
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