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During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate?
Posted by kong2018
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During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 01, 2018 08:34PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 70 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 01, 2018 09:06PM |
Registered: 8 years ago Posts: 1,102 |
What is your rate during an episode? Over 100 bpm and I’d say, yes, a PIP beta blocker would be good. Calcium channel blocker is an anti-arrythmic (AAR) medication, and does not do rate control but rather attempts rhythm control. PIP is an option for that as well, but you must discuss with your cardiologist first.
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 01, 2018 10:12PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 70 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 01, 2018 10:56PM |
Registered: 10 years ago Posts: 382 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 02, 2018 03:10AM |
Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 1,085 |
Some people have used Ginger Root (Herb) as a preventative measure against VM-AFIB.
[www.afibbers.org]
GeorgeN would be the Guy to ask about this, he has VM-AFIB.
[www.afibbers.org]
GeorgeN would be the Guy to ask about this, he has VM-AFIB.
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 02, 2018 03:23AM |
Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 1,085 |
Quote
wolfpack
What is your rate during an episode? Over 100 bpm and I’d say, yes, a PIP beta blocker would be good. Calcium channel blocker is an anti-arrythmic (AAR) medication, and does not do rate control but rather attempts rhythm control. PIP is an option for that as well, but you must discuss with your cardiologist first.
I agree, if the HR is elevated, than a Beta-Blocker makes sense. I disagree however about the Calcium Channel Blocker . CCB's have a variety of functions, primarily used to lower Blood Pressure. They do lower HR, and can be of great benefit during AFIB episodes for Rate Control. Experienced AFIB'ers including me have successfully used a CCB like Diltiazem, along with a low dose of Beta-Blocker for excellent Rate-Control. In my case I get by using a low dose (10mg) of the mild Beta-Blocker Bystolic combined with a moderate dose of Diltiazem (240mg). This puts my AFIB HR from 80-120 unmedicated down to 65-75.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/02/2018 03:25AM by The Anti-Fib.
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 02, 2018 03:34AM |
Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 1,085 |
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tsco
Flecainide usually works very well
Flecainide does slow the Heart down, but when taken during AFIB, a Beta-Blocker should be Combined with it, otherwise an even more dangerous Arrythmia can develope having to do with High-Speed Atrial Flutter.
Flecainide is actually a Anti-Arrythmic Drug, not a Rate-Control Drug, although it does work by slowing down electrical impulses within the Heart.
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 02, 2018 07:27AM |
Registered: 10 years ago Posts: 382 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 02, 2018 08:32PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 70 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 02, 2018 09:41PM |
Admin Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 5,337 |
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tsco
Thanks for the info.....I've only done that at my EPs direction for 15 of 20 years. And he failed to ever mention that.
It's a rare side effect, but a very serious one. It's kind of odd. Some EPs are fanatical about including a beta blocker with flecainide for that reason, while others don't bother at all. Having experienced flutter with 1:1 conduction, which is what Anti-Fib was describing, I would definitely come down on the side of taking a BB along with flecainide. Trust me, you really won't like a heart rate of 250+.
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 02, 2018 10:56PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 70 |
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Carey
Thanks for the info.....I've only done that at my EPs direction for 15 of 20 years. And he failed to ever mention that.
It's a rare side effect, but a very serious one. It's kind of odd. Some EPs are fanatical about including a beta blocker with flecainide for that reason, while others don't bother at all. Having experienced flutter with 1:1 conduction, which is what Anti-Fib was describing, I would definitely come down on the side of taking a BB along with flecainide. Trust me, you really won't like a heart rate of 250+.
This make me really nervous. I'm flying to Singapore next month with a 14 hour flight to Hong Kong, 3 hour layover, then another 4 hour flight to Singapore. I so worry about the 14 hour flight. If I got afib on the flight and take flecainide, then if it triggers 1:1 conduction, am I doomed? My EP had never mentioned I should take beta blocker with flecainide, but the cardiologist told me to take propranolol (beta blocker) first, wait 0.5 hour, then take 200mg flecainide, wait two hour and if not converted, then take another propranolol, then flecainide.
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 02, 2018 11:59PM |
Admin Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 5,337 |
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kong2018
This make me really nervous. I'm flying to Singapore next month with a 14 hour flight to Hong Kong, 3 hour layover, then another 4 hour flight to Singapore. I so worry about the 14 hour flight. If I got afib on the flight and take flecainide, then if it triggers 1:1 conduction, am I doomed? My EP had never mentioned I should take beta blocker with flecainide, but the cardiologist told me to take propranolol (beta blocker) first, wait 0.5 hour, then take 200mg flecainide, wait two hour and if not converted, then take another propranolol, then flecainide.
There's no reason to be nervous about it. It's a very rare event. But the approach your cardiologist recommended is the safest course so just do that and you're good.
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 03, 2018 05:33AM |
Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 1,085 |
Quote
kong2018
Thanks for the info.....I've only done that at my EPs direction for 15 of 20 years. And he failed to ever mention that.
It's a rare side effect, but a very serious one. It's kind of odd. Some EPs are fanatical about including a beta blocker with flecainide for that reason, while others don't bother at all. Having experienced flutter with 1:1 conduction, which is what Anti-Fib was describing, I would definitely come down on the side of taking a BB along with flecainide. Trust me, you really won't like a heart rate of 250+.
This make me really nervous. I'm flying to Singapore next month with a 14 hour flight to Hong Kong, 3 hour layover, then another 4 hour flight to Singapore. I so worry about the 14 hour flight. If I got afib on the flight and take flecainide, then if it triggers 1:1 conduction, am I doomed? My EP had never mentioned I should take beta blocker with flecainide, but the cardiologist told me to take propranolol (beta blocker) first, wait 0.5 hour, then take 200mg flecainide, wait two hour and if not converted, then take another propranolol, then flecainide.
In your case, why even risk taking Flecainide on a Plane? Just take a Beta-Blocker and or a Calcium Channel Blocker to control the Rate. Dr's used to always insist on Hospitilization when using Flecainide for the 1st time. You've only taken Flec several times, and being on a Plane is not the time to experiment with Anti-Arrythmics. Just take what has worked in the past for Rate-Control. If it was me I wouldn't even take an unfamiliar AAM until I was back home. Finally IMO, taking 200mg of Flec, then another 200 several hours later is way too much too soon unless your experienced with this drug. 100mg, followed another 100mg 3 hours later makes more sense starting out. There is other serious issues that can arise from Flecainide besides the Flutter with 1:1 Conduction.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/03/2018 07:51AM by The Anti-Fib.
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 03, 2018 08:01AM |
Registered: 9 years ago Posts: 1,085 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 03, 2018 05:25PM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 70 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 03, 2018 06:12PM |
Admin Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 5,337 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 04, 2018 02:50AM |
Registered: 6 years ago Posts: 70 |
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Re: During vagal mediated afib, should I take beta blocker to lower heart rate? April 04, 2018 09:21AM |
Registered: 12 years ago Posts: 247 |
Kong, how do you know it didn’t shorten your episodes. I never know how long mine will last.4 hours 24 hours? Maybe you would have had longer episodes without it. I think Flecainide is not a bad drug. I used it as PIP for many years until I developed CAD, and it’s contraindicated if you have blockages. Flecainide has had a lot of bad press over the years and I worried about it a lot when I was first advised to take it. But it did help a lot as my episodes usually come with very high HR 160-190 plus. I didn’t always take a Beta Blocker even tho I should have, mainly because of the side effects, but I usually knew when I should take it along with the Flecainide.
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