cardizem pro-arrhythmic?

Today I dropped my cardizem 240 CD in anticipation of my touch up (2nd) ablation tomorrow. I have had constant fib and flutter for weeks. Past two with no stopping and felt like crap. I also was adding on 30 mg tabs because the heart rate would go even higher. Well... I am now in sinus and it got me thinking- I wonder how much the cardizem had been contributing to all this. I still plan to go tomorrow... but I am curious. I put in a call to the doc as well.

Thanks



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2022 04:38PM by bettylou4488.

My guess is it contributed 0%. It's almost not even possible. What could be possible is that your heart is less prone to go into arrhythmias at a slightly higher heart rate (as the Cardizem wears off, your resting rate will rise). But my bet would be the AF and AFL will start right back up soon enough.

thanks Carey. I am planning on going. But I do want a discussion with the EP prior...I've been doing everything I can think of to set it off LOL.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2022 08:18PM by bettylou4488.

Don't worry about it. The EP can initiate it in the lab if needed.

Cardizem lowers the HR, and could help potentiate vagally mediated AFIB, in that it could accentuate HR drops after exertion or upon eating/digestion.

This drug also slows the excitabilty of the electrical signal being fired through the SA node, and decreases electrical conduction through AV node. So coming out of AFIB having too much Cardizem in your system can cause too low a HR upon restoration of NSR, even to the point of necessitating an emergent pacemaker.