Why would the doctor put you on beta blockers so that you will pace more....I thought the idea was to let your heart do what it can on it's own. I was just reading that and am confused.

Holly

 

 

Holly,

I just saw your second question about why give beta blockers so the pacemaker will have to pace your heart more. Believe me, it is not that simple. The beta blocker stops some irregularity in your heart rhythm and in so doing slows your heart rate. As the BB stops one problem it creates another and that is where the PM comes in. When all this happens the doctor sees the problem of the heart rhythm irregularity being corrected by the BB as being greater than having a pacemaker implanted to keep your heart beating at a desirable rate.

Smitty

 

Holly,

In my situation, I was put on beta blockers because my heart's natural beat is not adequate enough to keep blood flowing throughout my body. I was fainting because of this and so the doc decided that since I already had a pacer in place, beta blockers would be the easiest fix. The supression of my natural heart rate allows the pacemaker to deliver much more adequate heart beats. Boy was he wrong...I just fainted twice this evening because my blood pressure is so low as a side-effect of the beta blockers.

Amanda