BP Med for AFib?

[redhussy]

Had mitral valve repair in Sept. '98, now diagnosed w/Afib and put on Coumadin a month ago. My card. now wants to add Norvasq, a BP med. even though my readings are usually 140 over 79. I'm baffled as to why I need this med. Any thoughts out there on this ? Redhussy

 

[Karlynn]

I'm not sure about afib, but I take metoprolol (a BP med) for my heart rate and some arrhythmia. My BP was always about 105/70. 140 is a little high for you anyway, so I wouldn't worry about the BP made making you go to low. I haven't had problems with it myself.

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi,

I have occational bouts of A-Fib and A-Flutter. For now, my cardiologist is saying I can take some drugs to help fight it off, but if it gets worse, then he says I may want to consider 2 other options.

1. A stronger drug - (Sotalol), It requires a 3 days stay in the hospital when you first start to use it. This is to monitor any adverse reactions.

2. Ablation. Which is not always 100% successful.

In the meantime, he has me on 100 mg of atenolol. 50 mg in the morning and 50 mg at night. Also, he has me take 125 MCG of Digitek. (digoxin)

Here is a good site for you to look at for A-fib Medications.

http://www.a-fib.com/Medications.htm

Hope this helps,
Rob

 

[Susan BAV]

Also, ask your doctor about magnesium.

A week after I got my new aortic valve, I went into a very strong A-fib -- "clocked" at 198 beats-per-minute. My local family doctor tried me on digoxin which didn't help my A-fib.

So I was readmitted and put on a Sotalol regimen for three months (and Coumadin).

I also was given a few or several IVs of magnesium, while I was in the hospital, to help with the A-fib.

I think --PERHAPS-- that the Sotalol MAY have caused me to develop a SEVERE pain in my leg joint which took a year to fully resolve. I don't know that the Sotalol caused it, though; I just suspect it.

 

[geebee]

Rob,

Does the a-fib/flutter actually bother you (limitations, annoyance, etc.) or is it just something that was caught on a report of some type?

 

[Susan BAV]

Gina -

My uncle has had A-fib for over a couple of decades and he never has even felt it but he said it made him tired. I sure was aware of mine. It beat the heck out of me and I was completely out of breath when I would even try to speak.

 

[geebee]

The reason I was asking is that I am in constant a-fib but, other than fatigue if I try to do too much, I no longer feel it (unless it flips into a-flutter). Since Rob is on coumadin already, he is protected from the dangers of a-fib (clots) so, unless it is a problem for him physically from a stamina standpoint, additional meds may not be necessary.

A-fib is very interesting because it changes so much with each person.

 

[RobThatsMe]

Hi Gina,

It does bother me, but not always in the same way. There are times when I can get around OK, but there are other times that with any exertion, I get very faint. There have been instances when I actually had to lay down on the ground until I got some energy back, I felt extremely faint. This usually happens with the erratic heart beating that goes with it.

There are other times when my heart rate kicks into a steady 154 beats per min. This is when I switch from A-Fib to A-Flutter.. or visa vera.. I still get these 2 mixed up.. The fast heat beat is annoying more than anything, and I know that I have to get it back down.

Since I am already on Coumadin, as you mentioned, it does provide a comfort zone to me in that I am already medicated to hopefully prevent clotting.


Hope this helps answer your questions. Let me know if I need to try and clarify more.

Rob