Magnesium & Cardizem

Are there any problems with taking magnesium glycinate while also taking cardizem and warfarin?

Kathy,

You should ask your doctor about that and see what he/she says. What seems odd to me, is that if calcium channel blockers are being used and working, it would mean one has too much calcium, and does need Mg., because from what I've read, Mg. regulates calcium.

Richard

Kathy,

I thought you may find this of interest:

Calcium channel blockers such as Norvasc (amlodipine), Cardizem (diltiazem), Vascor (bepridil), and Procardia (nifedipine) work by blocking the flow of calcium in and out of heart cells, thus preventing rapid smooth muscle contractions resulting in lower blood pressure. These drugs are newer, costlier, and more widely prescribed than other blood pressure drugs, yet are also among the most dangerous. New research is showing they do not prevent heart attack and may even increase the risk of death.

In a study presented at the meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in August, 2000, it was shown that for patients using calcium channel blockers, risk of heart failure was 26 percent higher than for those using diuretics, beta-blockers, or ACE inhibitors. Again, many people report a nagging cough, in addition to irregular heartbeat, dangerously low blood pressure, overly slowed heart rate, congestive heart failure, heart attack, gastrointestinal bleeding, damage to liver and kidneys, and reduced immunity.

[www.livethefreelife.com]

Is Cardizem working for you and keeping you in constant rhythm?

Richard

Hi Again Richard,
I read somewhat of the article that you told Kathy to read about the Cardizem. I take a calcium blocker which is the generic of Dilacor (Diltia 180 XT.) The article doesn't mention Dilacor, but I imagine that this article is specific on any calcium blocker. Are you still on prescription medications?
Dr. Mindel has put out many books and articles on natural medications and he used to have a radio program years ago out here. Reading these types of articles downing prescription medications sure can frighten us. Why have doctors?
Geri

Hi Richard:

I also am taking Cardizem. I had taken myself off all meds with exception of Coumadin (fear of a stroke)...Last month my EP put me on a monitor for 30 days and twice I had a reading over-l55bpm....Normally, since my ablation( that didn't work) my hr was between 80-100....To make a long story longer, after the monitor results he wanted me to go on Cardizem, because he said the muscle in my heart could be damaged by the excessively high heart rate...I am scheduled for an echo later on in the month...What's your thoughts on this???? Thank you.,

Hi Geri and Mary,

Unfortunately I'm still on flecainide, but am working towards getting off of it. It's as dangerous as the rest of the drugs, but it keeps me in rhythm 99% of the time. Flec. works on the Purkinje system in the heart by way of a numbing effect, but research eludes me, as to exactly what that is telling me about my heart. Do I have fibrosis, or was I not hydrating enough, to where the heart cells shrunk and made the distance of the electrical impulses too far to reach the next cell, or WHAT??? It is heart specific, at least that's what I've found, but I really worry about Ca. channel blockers, because calcium is important to many functions in the body, and I do think if this drug works, then that's a good indication that one needs Mg. It just makes sense to me. The article stated that beta-blockers are better than channel blockers, but you would want one that is heart specific, so you're not blocking other functions in the body. I know Toprol is, but can't remember the rest. When using any Ca. blocker, is it heart specific or is it blocking Ca. throughout the body? All this should be discussed with your doctor, and you all should read the prescribing info., and educate yourself as much as possible, so you know what questions to ask. Mary, if rate control is your problem, you may want to research and find the lesser of all evils to accomplish this. I could be wrong, but I believe Ca. blockers are newer than some of the time-tested betas, and are more expensive. So are the pharm. companies really pushing these and doctors getting kick-backs? The real question, I guess, is are they working 90% of the time? If not, then I would certainly be looking elsewhere. I do have a friend that's been on digoxin for 15 yrs. with no problems, at least not yet, and it's kept him in rhythm all this time. Go figure.

Also, Mary and Geri, are you taking or have you tried higher doses of Mg. I'm presently not, as my appt. with my amino doctor is 10/14, then I'm going to taking everything I can get my hands on, to replenish, and then see what happens. I want off meds and want my heart back to normal!!!

Richard

After taking Cardizem CD for a long time I asked my doctor to switch me to Digoxin to see the difference. Digoxin slowed me down to a crawl and after a short period I had him switch me back to Cardizem which slows me down but not so close to stop.

[www.umm.edu]

The above link describes possible interactions with magnesium

Thanks, Howie, for the info. on Mg. w/Ca. channel blockers. For whoever is on Ca. channel blockers, and is interested, they should discuss what effects this has on their intracellular Mg. levels, because as you all well know by now, Mg. is extremely important to your health. Jerry, here, was taking Cipro, which uses Mg. to metabolize, and that is what caused his arrhythmia. Mg. is so related to arrhythmias, that I believe this to be a very important issue. Just to let you know, I wasn't advocating Digoxin, as I think it's bad, as well. I'm just amazed that my friend has had no ill effects on it.

Richard

Thanks for all of the input. But, I'm more confused than ever now. I've been on Toprol, Rythol, and Sotalol prior to my pv ablation in August. Since the surgery, I've had atrial flutter and a day filled with sinus tachycardia. My doc put me back on Toprol but I had severe headaches. He therefore changed my med to Cardia XT. I do feel better, with less arrythmia. But now, I'm concerned about taking a calcium channel blocker.

looked at the link Howie sent and when I read "If you have any of the following conditions: Problem with the electrical system of the heart unless a pacemaker has fixed it, very low blood pressure, recent heart attack, fluid in the lungs", I'm confused as to why the Cardia XT was prescribed. I don't have a pacemaker, and my heart is healthy. I just have electrical problems. I'm confused now... And, it appears from what the website said, I shouldn't take magnesium at all while taking a channel blocker.

Kathy,

The warning of not taking Cardizem, if you have electrical problems of the heart, confused me a bit, as well. It certainly warrants a discussion with your doctor. Kathy, were or are you taking Mg. supps? If you weren't, or aren't, then maybe you could discuss with your doctor, as well, about being able to take Mg. with some other med that might help your situation. Do doctors just not understand how important Mg. is? It blows me away.

Richard

Hi Richard,

I'm glad I'm not the only one confused I'll definitely talk with my doctor when I have my first ablation follow appointment next Thursday. I bought Mg. gluconate tablets last week but haven't yet started taking it. I truly don't think docs understand all of the vitamin and minerals deficiencies associated with heart conditions nor the interactions with all the meds they prescribe so readily.

I've been on Dilacor XR / 180mg day for a couple of years now with no problems whatsoever. The studies I've checked out online note that the XR doesn't have the issues that the older versions did.

I am a 36 year old female, "pescetarian" since I was 15, I excercise, drink tons of water, green tea, eat healthy foods, eat lots of tofu, supplements, etc. I have recently been diagnosed with high (very) high blood pressure and my doctor said it was not safe for me to be walking around with this so he prescribed Norvasc for me. I am scared of taking any medication, but at the same time scared of walking around with this super high blood pressure, plus, I am probe to anxiety attacks, so that also elevates my blood pressure. I have also take magnesium for the past four years religiously to hlep me sleep and relax me. I am a little confused as to why this is happening to me. I had my renal artery checked for kidney malfuntion and it all came back clear. I am on 5mg per day (started yesterday) and hoping after it regulates I can go down to 2.5 mg per day. Any thought on this from anyone?