What do you know about beta blockers for tachardyia (sp?)?

[MJN]

Are they okay for long term use? Would herbal or vitamin supplements be better?

 

Thanks!

[GraceinMD]

There are different causes of tachycardia - if you don't know what is causing the tachycardia you're talking about, please ask your doctor for clarification. The treatment depends on the cause.

 

In general (not addressing a specific patient, who may have other medical issues), beta blockers are safe for long-term use. All meds (and alternative therapies, for that matter) have side effects, and alternative therapies (herbal treatments, etc.) are not regulated, so different batches or brands may have different amounts of the active substance.

 

Here is some information about beta blockers in general:

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/heartdisease/treatment/633.html

 

Here's some info about tachycardia (although it doesn't talk about beta blockers specifically):

http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/articles/286.html

[chanda7]

As mentioned, the cause can make a big difference in how it is treated. It may be treatable by biofeedback, especially if it is anxiety related. Biofeedback gives an auditory and/or visual cue to what your heart is doing, and through the trial and error of relaxation techniques, you can learn what works for you to reduce your heart rate.

[Maria from IN]

Several years ago my dad experienced several episodes of tachycardia--I'm not exactly sure how to describe it, but the gist of it was that there was something "electrical" going on that misfired. He said it was like having the physical effects of being scared out of your mind for several hours straight. He had emphysema at the time and the doctors told him that beta blockers are what they normally prescribe but in his case they were not a good idea because it might further inhibit his breathing. In his case (and this is an extreme case, mind you) they had to take a wire up through his vessels and into his heart, find the specific area that started the tachycardia to begin with, and basically send an electrical charge through it to deaden that area. Before they could schedule that they literally had to give him a medication that stopped his heart for a few seconds, and when it started back up, a normal rhythm began.

 

Granted, this was a man whose breathing was greatly compromised by emphysema. If you have asthma, on the other hand, I would ask my doctor and make absolutely sure they're okay for the long term. My mother has allergy-related asthma and she took beta blockers for years for her heart issues.

 

Not that I want to scare you or anything, but I think this is definitely a case where vitamins and herbal supplements won't really help.

 

:001_smile: