Beta Blockers & Blood Pressure

I have been taking beta blockers for the last 2 weeks to blunt my natural heart rate so that the pacemaker has to do all of the work. As far as my heart is concerned I am feeling great, but I have really low blood pressure while taking the beta blockers. With my doctors advice, I have tried lowering the dose, and lowering the frequency of the dose. So far, that hasn't worked, when I try to take a smaller dose, I start to get palpitations, chest pain, shortness of breath...all of those horrible things that we were trying to avoid with the beta blocker. When I take enough of the beta blocker to keep my heart under control (only 25 mg 2 x a day), I get low blood pressure (sometimes as low as 75/35). The irregular heart rates were causing me to faint until I started the beta blocker...now the low blood pressure is making me faint.
I just don't know what to do!!! I am so frustrated! Anyone experiance anything similar or have any idea what the next step might be?

Please help,
Amanda

5 Comments

Beta blockers and your BP

by maryanne - 2008-07-23 08:07:03

Having read your post I am left with a few questions. Why does your doctor want you to be completely dependent on your PM? What other drugs have they tried for your rate control?

Beta blockers not only slow your heart rate but as you are experiencing, can decrease your BP. You are someone who is obiviously very sensitive to Beta blockers as 25mg BID (2/day) is a low dose. There are many drugs that can help decrease your heart rate with minimal effect on your BP. There are also lower doses of beta blockers that can be used i.e. 12.5 mg BID dependant on the beta blocker that is being used.

Sorry, I don't feel like I am being much help. Might I suggest you clarify with your doctor why is it that this is the particular drug they have chosen for you to use, and why is it they want you to be totally PM dependant? I am wondering if you have an underlying atrial fib? If that is the case there are many other drugs or antiarrythmic that can control the ventricular rate other than Beta blockers.

I would be very interested to hear what they have to say.
Best of luck and please keep us posted.

I'm in the same boat.

by Bionic Man - 2008-07-23 08:07:29

I had a pacemaker implanted 4 weeks ago. I'm on pindolol and it is lowering my BP. I've been feeling lousy also. My Dr is adjusting my dosage. I just started with a lower dosage today. It should be a while before I notice if it worked or not. I feel great other than the low BP. The other symptoms I had before the pacer are gone. Hopefully someone else can give us an answer.

Maryanne

by scadnama - 2008-07-23 11:07:21

My doctor wanted to make me pacemaker dependant because when my heart would override the pacemaker, I felt horrible. Apparently my heart is not pumping efficiantly enough to supply my body with all that it needs. I would get very light headed, short of breath, my hands and feet would get numb, and I would even faint sometimes.
Since starting the beta blocker I have felt much better as far as all of that is concerned, but now I am dealing with the low bp. I am expecting a call from my doctor soon.

Amanda

BB & BP

by Vai - 2008-07-23 12:07:26

I echo Maryanne's suggestion.
There should be other beta blockers that will do the job for you without lowering your blood pressure that signicantly.

The 25 mg X 2 a day of BB appears to be a low dosage, so lowering it any further may not do the of managing the arrythmia.

I know each of us respond differently to medication so it is not a general rule. However for discussion sake, I take 180 mg sotalol (another bb) daily and I have to take blood pressure "lowering" medication as well.

I hope you find the right medication.

Beta's

by candi51 - 2008-07-24 12:07:30

Hi-
I echo the above- Ask your Dr about different beta blockers. I was on 3 variations of metoprol or Toprol plus others with terrible results but now I'm on Coreg (carvedisol) and it is much better for me. Even though they are in the same class of drugs they are all very different from each other.
Best Wishes-
Candi

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