I'm 50 yo male, had my thyroid removed in 2017 and also at the same time had my first episode of af which lasted 3 days. At the time my GP prescribed atenolol to help. I found it very effective at slowing my heart rate and settled on having 25mg a day but it was never able to end an af episode, only slow my heart rate.
Recently I had a 2 week af episode and have only now been given flec for rythm control. Flec for me has so far been a miracle drug because it has actually ended afib episodes within an hour or so of taking a pill (100mg), something I hadn't been able to do with medication before. So now I'm taking 50mg of flec and 25mg of atenolol in the morning, and 50mg of flec in the evening, in addition to 200ug of thyroxine daily. This is currently working at preventing af episodes from even starting. So far so good and I also have my first ablation booked in for May 2024.
I have been reading posts on this forum for a couple of months now and haven't seen anyone else mention atenolol. I wondered if there was a reason for that? Are other beta blockers preferable for some reason?
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Generally speaking ( and I’m sure others will come along soon) atenolol isn’t ordinarily prescribed as much these days for Afib and there is a tendency to prescribe Bisoprolol in the first instance, as it’s more ‘cardio specific’. Many here take a few different types of beta blocker though, so if it works for you…..
Atenolol is an older drug, but it still is very efficient. If you had been diagnosed in hospital, I dare say you would have been prescribed Bisoprolol. My aunt has taken Atenolol for nearly 30 years for her Afib and it’s kept it away, so it works for her 😊
Atenolol is an older style beta blocker. I was on it back in 2004 when first diagnosed. Beta blockers will not stop AF they merely control rate. Flecainide is a rhythm control drug so should.
I was prescribed Bisopropol by hospital doctor when first diagnosed with AF in 2020. Lasted a few months but it had laxative effect and GP switched me to Atenolol (which my long deceased father used to take years ago ). Take it every day, who knows what it's up to, maybe it's a real friend but still get AF every 8 weeks or so and bothered by RLS most nights . At least it reminds me of my good old dad every time I take it.
I have been taking atenolol for 30+ years. Originally prescribed (25mg/day) for blood pressure control. Raised to 50mg/day later on for same reason. When I first started having "palpitations" several years ago (pre-afib diagnosis) the cardioguy gradually raised the dose to 100mg/day, at which point the undesirable side effects (out of breath) kicked in-with no effect on the then undiagnosed "palpitation" issue. Since then, the afib was definitively diagnosed (thank you Kardia), and I am well controlled and happy with an antiarrhythmic (propafenone) and the atenolol. To try and minimize the undesired side effects of the atenolol, on my own (with later cardioguy approval) I divided the atenolol dose to 50 mg 2X a day, with great improvement. I am toying with the idea of a further gradual reduction in the atenolol dose, with extra as a PIP if needed at the start of an afib episode.
Excuse me, if I may ask. You first had palpitations, and because of the palpitations, you later received Propafenone, or did you receive Propafenone when you diagnosed Atrial Tachycardia through Kardia? And if you can explain in which way you felt palpitations and in which AF? What's the difference?
Cundara1234: I first presented to my internist, then cardiologist with the usual vague complaints of "palpitations"-floppy feeling in chest, irregular heartbeat, missing beats, thumps after a missed beat, etc., etc. Of course, as what often happens, every ekg taken by the cardioguy was spot on perfect. With no way to make an accurate diagnosis, treatment was conservative, namely increasing the dosage of atenolol in an attempt to lower the heart rate so the perceived palpitations might be less noticeable, and this strategy was unsuccessful. A friend recommended the Kardia device, so I was able to document what a "palpitation" event looked like. So with the ekg tracing in hand, at the next cardio appt. when asked how I was doing today, I gave him the tracing, and he said, "Oh, that's clearly afib! Nice job with the diagnosis!" At that point, with secure diagnosis in hand (thank you, Kardia), I was put on propafenone and an anticoagulant, and after a small adjustment in dosage, have been relatively fine since.
You ask how I felt during the palpitations. Now that I am more familiar with afib, I realize that all my previously undiagnosed "palpitations" for almost 2 years, were in fact afib. Once you get diagnosed, you become exquisitely aware of all your heart movements! The floppy feeling in the chest from the very irregular heartbeat, and of course my HR would go up to 140-150. If you take you rapid pulse on your wrist, you will be struck by the seemingly absolute randomness of the heartbeats! You know it when it happens, little doubt! I never have any pain (some do), nor was I out of breath (some are), but just a general feeling of unease and malaise. I whistle a lot when I'm puttering around the house-except when I was in an afib episode.........no whistling. And a tell all sign when I convert back to NSR........the whistling starts back up!
Now, as far as "what I feel", I also have occasional very short of harmless PAC's or PVC's (I can't tell the difference), but that feels very different from afib (at least for me)-I will feel very distinctly the seemingly "missed" heartbeat, and then the following beat will be noticeably more forceful, the "thump". Very distinctive, and if I stop focussing on it (which we oft times have a tendency to do), it just goes away. Also during these PAC's, the 30 second heart rate does NOT increase, whereas in the afib it shoots way up.
I apologize for the long reply, but you asked me some good questions, so I figured I would give you the shole story. I hope I have answered your questions! If not, feel free to ask more!
I take Atenalol every morning.....It's fine for me...I have PAf so don't get an attack often (fingers crossed) I was put on Bisoprolol when I first started getting attacks but it made me feel so ill I was taken off it.
yes I have been on 25mg Atenolol for a number of years. Before I was prescribed it when I took a tachycardia episode my heart beat much more strongly. It was quite scary. Atenolol does not stop the number of attacks but tones them down so easier to deal with. Also if have a tachycardia episode which lasts over say 3 hours I take an extra dose which most times stops it within the hour. Whether it would have stopped without it I don’t know. I have had no side effects
Hi, l've been taking Atenlol for 2 years, 25mg per day. It was prescribed because of PVC burden, 1000 to 3000 per day based on 48hr Holter. I definitely don't notice them quite so much now. No side effects experienced now, although initially felt fatigued and cold fingers and toes during the first 4 weeks.
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Atenolol and Propanolol together? Or tips on switching? Help please, need advice!
Thought for the day...…..
Atenolol side affects. 
New to AF. So many thoughts
