Amiodarone & increased heart rate?

[journeyart]

I'm a first-timer and have a couple of questions. I am told that I'm in the persistent range of AF. I began loading up with Amiodarone three weeks ago..600, 400 and now 200mgs. I feel much better, still lots of flutters though that I feel at night. However my heart rate went from 100-110 up to 120-130 and has stayed there for the past three weeks (my normal rate was 62-68). I have been taking bisoporol 10mg beta blocker for two months which doesn't seem to help. I have 53 left atrium measurement....up from 47 nine years ago.

Does heart rate increase with amiodarone? Knowing size of LA, can another antiarrythmic be used?

It seems that the AF diagnosis is more of a symptom and severe LA hypertrophy is the diagnosis...any thoughts on that? Many thanks.

[CDreamer]

Hi and welcome to our forum. I don't feel qualified to answer your questions as it sounds as though you have had AF for some time. As far as I am aware Amiodarone is the drug used when most of the other anti arrythmias fail.

Have you visited the AFA site and read their information? Also go to the CAREAF site for a comprehensive package with general advise on diet and exercise etc.

Should read anti arrythmics, we have an unpredictable spell checker!

Very best wishes CD

[journeyart in reply to CDreamer]

Thanks CD for your response and direction to AFA and CAREAF. All best to you!

[jeanjeannie50]

Hi - First let me also welcome you to our forum.

I have reluctantly taken Amiodarone for several periods when my heart has sped out of control and other drugs failed. I don't think it has made it go faster at any of these times, but while on it my heart rate has had periods with it being 110-130 and staying at that rate until I have a cardioversion. I tried Bisoprolol, but it did nothing for me. Once again I'm taking Amiodarone now, have been since the start of September when my heart rate shot up to a steady 160. I was literally given no option but to start taking it again if I wanted to have another cardioversion, with my AF nurse saying that cardioversions rarely work if you are not on medication.

Is someone monitoring your heart now e.g. your AF nurse? If not you need to talk to your doctor or better still your cardiologist or EP. When my heart is the same as yours I am usually under the care of an AF nurse who does ECG's every one or two weeks, while I await a cardioversion.

Hope all this makes sense. If not please ask for more clarification.

Wishing you well

Jean

[journeyart in reply to jeanjeannie50]

Thanks for your response Jean....yes, I am under care. Thanks also for sharing your med info. It helps to know what others are experiencing. All best.....

[CDreamer]

The spellchecker is embedded in the forum software and we seem to have absolutely no control of it, well certainly I don't on my IPad. Sorry. I can't even edit on my posts hence the PS you will see at the end of my posts. It's easier on the computer though as at least I can reposition the cursor. I probably misled you saying spell checker, it's really predictive text. You will see as you type a word it will give you a suggestion, trouble is half the time we aren't looking at the screen and it is not the word we want to use but we don't see the mistake until the end, that is why you will see quite a few howlers.

But hey, who's marking us? As long as we can get the gist and people will always ask if they aren't sure. CD

[excalibur]

It had the opposite effect on me - my heart rate went down to about 45 resting rate when I was on Amiodarone. I was also on a beta blocker - Atenolol originally then Nebivolol and it may have been a combined effect that lowered my resting heart rate

lance

[excalibur]

It had the opposite effect on me - my heart rate went down to about 45 resting rate when I was on Amiodarone. I was also on a beta blocker - Atenolol originally then Nebivolol and it may have been a combined effect that lowered my resting heart rate

lance

[excalibur]

It had the opposite effect on me - my heart rate went down to about 45 resting rate when I was on Amiodarone. I was also on a beta blocker - Atenolol originally then Nebivolol and it may have been a combined effect that lowered my resting heart rate

lance