LOW BLOOD PRESSURE & AFIBS.

Pacemakers and Blood Pressure

by KonaLawrence - 2018-11-20 02:54:06

Aloha Boots,
It may seem like a small thing, but many people feel you are "shouting" when you use all capital letters in online messages.  It's considered more polite to use regular upper/lower case.

In order for me to comment on your situation, it will help if you can explain your diagnosis.  Were you diagnosed with High Blood pressure, Bradycardia (low heart rate), Afib (Atrial Tachycardia), Vfib (Ventricular Tachycardia), etc.?  As to your questions about Blood Pressure.  I do not believe Pacemakers are installed to address Blood Pressure.  Pacemakers can help with low heart rate, which might be causing low Blood pressure, but many other things can cause low Blood Pressure. 

Pacemakers do not really help with Afib either, which is high Atrial heart rate, not high Blood Pressure.  There are many drugs available for Afib.  Metropolol is a beta blocker to help with AFib by decreasing heart rate.  There are other beta blockers and also Antiarrhythmics.  It is often a weeks to months long process of trial & error to get the right drug combination to control Afib.  People are pretty much always put on a "blood thinner" like Coumadin (warfarin) to prevent strokes from the Afib.  As long as you're on a "blood thinner" the Afib isn't dangerous.  One of my docs once told me, "one day you will die from something, but it won't be from Afib".  A little over dramatic, but basically correct.  Afib can be very troublesome, even painful, but of itself it's not life-threatening. 

If you don't know your detail diagnosis, talk to your doc or get his nurse to read it to you from the records over the phone.  Then it's best to use your online access to study up on your diagnosis so you will understand your options going forward.

Good Luck, Lawrence

Antiarrhythmics for afib/vfib...

by BOBTHOM - 2018-11-20 11:29:10

Basic pacemakers will not help with afib, ICD's will shock you out of ventriculare tachycardia (vtach) or ventricular fibralation (vfib),  There are combo devices usually called CRT-D that will do both.  But none will actually prevent it.  For that an antiarrythmic such as Amiodarone is used.  This will prevent the heart from beating above a certain rate (slows repolarization).  Blood pressure is a function of many things including heart rate, ejection fraction, etc and will and should vary based on activity or stress.  Beta blockers and ace inhibitors are used to slow your heart rate and/or relax blood vessels which in turn reduces blood pressure.  Fear is a common trait we all share.  It's normal to be afraid.  For most of us, reading through this site has helped alot, some seek counceling.  For me, knowledge is the key.  The more I understand about my condition the better I can deal with the consequences.

boots

by pogerm1 - 2018-11-20 23:50:14

How are your electrolyes, potassium, magnesium, if they are low, you can have more episodes of AF.  Magnesium is very important to the heart as is potassium.