Low resting heart rate (50's)

When my heart rate is low ( 60) and my Systolic BP is over 140 I take Amlodipine. If my HR is higher and my Systolic is below 140 I take Metoprolol.

I have a fib and am taking Multaq. I have been cardioverted 4 times in a year. My resting heart rate is in the 40’s. I am scheduled for an ablation in January. I wore a heart monitor for 2 weeks. My EP office called and told me to stop the Multaq based on the results from the monitor. I had multiple low heart rates. I am afraid to just stop this medication abruptly. What should I do?

gram0322, Would be difficult and not appropriate to tell you what to do when you are being treated by a EP. That are experts in this field.

It sound like your AFIB causes may not be what the Multag medication is used for. A lot of rhythm drugs have side affects like conduction delays and changes to t-waves, etc. EP can see all this on holter monitors and thus his/her advise to stop.

I would speak to your EP and express your concerns and get more information on why told to stop, it's reaction on your condition, etc. If you are still concerned would get a second opinion.

Ablation does have risks but can fix a lot of issues with AFIB and VFIB. I had one done on right ventricle that stopped the PVCs coming from that area. I still have PVCs from 3 different areas in LV but EP wants to try medication first. I am on a low dose medication for this.

Do you have a AICD/Pacemaker? You stated you have be controverted 4 times this year. Was this done in office or was it a AICD. Your heart rate is very low. Mine was very low and can have impact on your heart being able to have normal rhythm. I have pacemaker to keep in at normal ranges.

I have a fib and am taking Multaq. I have been cardioverted 4 times in a year. My resting heart rate is in the 40’s. I am scheduled for an ablation in January. I wore a heart monitor for 2 weeks. My EP office called and told me to stop the Multaq based on the results from the monitor. I had multiple low heart rates. I am afraid to just stop this medication abruptly. What should I do?

I was diagnosed with A-Fib in Oct. 2021 I was on Multaq from then to March 2022.
My cardiologist told me to stop it since I was asymptomatic,
I just stopped it and had no problems related to the drug.
As an aside I just a few weeks ago tried Multaq again.
I always had a low resting heart rate in the 50’s and for me normal and always felt good.
Multaq as with most anti arrhythmia drugs lower your heart rate,
Multaq, like you puts me in the 40’s and I do not feel good.
Multaq as with other anti arrhythmia drugs (unfortunately for me) do not seem to really help with the A-Fib.
Hope this helps.

curious as to what the thinking is behind that? want to learn

I was taking only Amlodipine plus 1/2 Metoprolol but my legs had swollen hard as rocks so my cardiologist told me to take the Amlodipine only if the Systolic was above 140 otherwise I take the Metoprolol. My diastolic is always very low so I don't take any thing if the systolic is below 120.

I read that anti arrhythmic drugs should not be stopped abruptly but you didn’t seem to have any adverse effects by doing so.

gram0322, I was told this same thing by my EP. Amlodipine is a powerful arrhythmic drug. It does though have toxic side affects.

I wanted to ween off it due to the long term side affects. My EP gave me specific directions to slowly ween off of it as was dangerous to stop it all of sudden.

I see lenmayo is talking about treating blood pressure where Amlodipine is usually used for arrhythmia. If I read right lenmayo is saying does not take anything if systolic is below 120.