Metoprolol with nodal ablation and pacemaker
- by Debbarrie
- 2018-09-02 10:21:19
- Conditions, Meds & Tests
- 1446 views
- 5 comments
My husband is 88 and after years of controlling and not controlling erratic heartbeat with meds , conversions etc he had a complete nodal ablation 4 years ago . He has had zero issues , very few stray beats and no issues with the procedure and pacemaker.
He has been taking 25 mg of metoprolol twice a day and I am wondering why he needs that and what the risk of discontinuing it would be.
Getting him off meds would be a plus as he is sensitive to everything.
5 Comments
Discontinuing Medication
by Selwyn - 2018-09-02 12:35:38
As TraceyE says there may be good reason to be on Metoprolol.
I wonder why rock the boat if all is well? Being " sensitve to everything" hardly gives us any understanding as to why you should want this for your husband.
The last thing he should do is to stop his meds without medical advice as he may get acutely poorly.
Selwyn
Nodal Ablation
by DAVID H - 2018-09-02 12:36:48
You didn't mention if your husband suffers from any cardiomyopathy or heart failure. Metoprolol is the drug of choice for these conditions............per the Mayo Clinics Margaret Redfield, MD - considered the top cardiologist in the U.S.
Metoprolol
by AgentX86 - 2018-09-02 14:31:15
I'm in exactly that position. Metoprolol doesn't do anything for Afib itself, but controls conduction through the AV node to prevent tachycardia (rate control). Since he (and I) have had an AV ablation, tachycardia is moot. I asked about it during my last visit with my EP and the best answer I got was that it still helps with BP and that we'll discuss it again next visit (in two weeks). It's certainly a question worth asking but continue taking it until told otherwise.
He's not feeling the Afib because you feel the ventricles pushing blood to the rest of the body. you don't feel the atria beating. Also, metoprolol is used in cardiomyopathy treatment because it controls heart rate. Tachycardia is the cause of cardiomyopathy. The pacemaker takes care of all of the above.
Alternative to Metoprolol
by LondonAndy - 2018-09-03 06:35:16
I agree with all the comments already made, and note that it is dangerous to just stop a Beta Blocker. However, if Metoprolol is causing him problems there may be other Beta Blockers that can be tried. I am diabetic and have some reduction in artery size in parts, causing minor circulation issues. I am now on Nebivolol, which has helped.
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A properly implanted and adjusted pacemaker will not even be noticeable after you get over the surgery.
talk to his doctor
by Tracey_E - 2018-09-02 11:21:09
Having the av node ablated means he's not feeling the heart racing, but the atria is still doing its thing. Ask his doctor why he's still on it, if it's necessary. It may be that the metorpolol is a part of why he's not feeling the erratic beats. It may be that he has afib (that he's not feeling) and being on a beta blocker lowers the risk of stroke associated with afib. Metoprolol also keeps blood pressure down. There are a lot of reasons why his doctor may want him on it.