m a female, but I can share my experience switching from a beta blocker to diltiazem. I have been taking beta blockers for 8 years for SVT and afib. I had an episode of afib and was in the hospital is Sept. They took me off the beta blocker and put me on diltiazem. It didn't control my heart rate like the beta blocker. My resting heart rate went from upper 60s to the low 80s. After a few days without my beta blocker, I ended up in the ER, in sinus tachycardia with a rate of about 120.
My heart rate was the only reason my doctor gave me for taking the diltiazem. After an ECG, was diagnosed with MVP, this diagnosis was given more than a month after the ER visit and I was already on the DIltiazen, but I just recently read that Diltiazem was a treatment used for MVP and arrythmia. THAT connection was never made even though we talked about it, independent of the rapid heart rate. .Did I misinterpret what I read? I stopped taking the DIltiazem because I had a low to normal rate.
Each time I stayed in sinus rhythm but the heart rate went up to 126 at the highest, and this was while I was on a calcium channel blocker, diltiazem, started by the internist who caught the rapid heart rate. The cardiologist switched me to verapamil and so far I haven't had any more episodes. I have kept track of my heart rate and BP for the last two months to see if there was a trend and because I'm trained as a scientist and we thrive on data!
) My max heart rate is 163 and resting heart rate is 38. Last week I went for a run and my heart rate went up to 260. Apparently it was already 130 before I started running So I went to the dr. yesterday and was prescribed Atenolol (25mg). Is that suitable for someone who already has such a low resting heart rate? I only took my first dose last night and haven't noticed anything negative yet.
I am currently on 30 mg of diltiazem 3x day and i was wondering how effective is this dose at bring down your blood pressure. and how much would it bring it down. a rough estimate would be great. for i am hoping to come off of this medicine.
I had been taking it for 6 months. Not for chest pain but for Raynaud syndrome. I have been off for 12 days. I am a little light headed. The Dr says its sick sinus syndrome and I am scheduled for a pacemaker tomorrow. I am last minute looking for anything else this can be maybe causing a temporary slow heat rate. It was only detected 4 weeks ago.
The issue is often one of controlling the heart rate. We will first try to control the heart rate with one medication. If that does not work, a second medication is added. Sometimes even a third medication is needed. Cardizem (diltiazem) is known to cause swelling at higher doses, it seems elderly women are common group to have this problem. One option is to use a medication called digoxin to help slow down the rate and decrease the dose of diltiazem.
At any rate, my cardiologist prescribed one daily Diltiazem CD 120mg Caps. What seems strange to me is that Diltiazem is for angina and high blood pressure, but is only an OFF LABEL use for arrhythmias. Hence, I have noticed no change in my PVCs (perhaps even a little worse for these first 25 days on Diltiazem, and especially heavy PVCs when I first try to go to sleep at night), nor has my blood pressure been lowered.
I have been taking metoprolol and diltiazem for sixteen months and initially the medications brought the SVTs under control. Fourteen months ago I started coughing blood and experiencing chest congestion. This took my attention off any heart issues and sent me on a long search for the cause of the bleeding. After many tests and visits with various specialists I never did get the answer. The bleeding resolved itself after 10 months (last October) and has not reappeared.
Thanks for your reply. Have gone back on the beta blocker for now and will consult with cardio doc tomorow. (Seems medical quandaries always crop up on holidays or weekends, doesn't it?!) Am just grateful that Lorazepam seems to stop the a-fib, which is pretty scary when it happens, especially if it causes shortness of breath.
BTW, what were the intolerable side-effects you experienced with Toprol? Just wondering. Thanks again.
If you have a pacemaker, it's possible to ask your doctor for a beta blocker, because the pacemaker makes a "floor" on your heart rate, preventing it from dropping to low.
This is the normal cure for sinus node dysfunction (sick sinus syndrome) that manifest with alternating bradycardia and tachycardia.
There are no other cure for sinus tachycardia as far as I know.
I hope you will be OK!
I have found Atenolol to be a rather powerful rate control drug, and that is why I take it... I see a HR as low as the upper 50s when fully at rest in bed. I figured I was lucky when Metoprolol got me down in the 70s..talking about the same level of dosage. In both cases I was/am taking Diltiazem 120 mg twice a day.
A cousin of mine has had chronic atrial fibrillation since 3 months ago. The cardiologist at a private medical centre was not able to help much to control the rate, and he was prescribed Herbesser 200mg (diltiazem), Propranolol 20mg (10mg x 2), Lasix, Slow K (potassium supplement), warfarin 2mg and rosuvastatin 10mg (for cholesterol). But his condition persists. He gets breathless easily.
I just started taking Diltiazem for my PSVT rapid heart beat. It is a little early to know if it is doing any good, although I had an episode after starting. What has been your experience with this drug as a treatment for PSVT (my blood pressure is normal)? What other drugs worked better for you? [I am a 76 year old male in otherwise good health.
I think the anxiety is more so linked to not knowing whats wrong with my heart. My heart rate is out of control. Resting it can go from 70-120. When I simply walk to class it will be about 140. My doctor has put me on 240 mg of diltiazem, which has solved neither my heart rate issue or blood pressure (still high). My EP told me that I have inappropriate sinus tacky cardia, and that I may just have it for the remainder of my life.
Your heart rate falls within the range for a normal adult, 60 -100 beats per minute. The lower your resting heart rate, the more it indicates a healthy heart. Although 80 is in range, it is a little high for a resting heart rate. There are many beta blockers and not have the same reactions. I would try what your doctor has prescribed and if it does not work, there are other options available. Just keep working with your doctor until you find one that works.
I have had HTN on and off for 15 yrs. 01/10 bp was 184/120 and heart rate was 160 bpm. Put on Lopressor, and is under control. Currently bp is good, heart rate is still a little high at 120, but blood work revealed Hyperthyroidism. Not taking any meds for that yet. Not on any other meds at this time, have been weaned off Lopressor also over last 2 weeks.
For the last year or so, I have 3 toes that are itermittently cyanotic, blue colored, even when not cold.
Heart rate jumped up very quickly for 15-30 seconds, slowed for a few beats and then jumped back up again for 15-30 seconds, then slowed for a couple regular beats, then ran up again - this process of fast heart rate followed by a few slow beats, followed by fast heart rate repeated for several minutes - somewhere between 5 and 10 mins probably - during this episode I became increasingly dizzy, my breathing picked up and I sweated through my clothes - it left me feeling weak and with some che
I was on tiazac 360mg for a couple of years for high blood pressure.I started having palpitations, skipped beats. The longer I was on it the worse it got. It finally got to where I was having some beats so strong and violent.I told my cardiologist and asked to change medication or a lower dose.He told me to go back to my family doctor who prescribed it originally. As it was 6 weeks to see him, I decided to stop the tiazac. After a few days the symptoms went away.
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