Dizziness with diltiazam.

[Oak321]

My husband came home from 4 days in hospital due to chronic cough, breathing problems and multiple episodes of AF daily 10 weeks post ablation.

He was given 240mg prolonged release diltiazam (adizem xl) He is constantly dizzy heart rate drops to 50’s later in the day after taking it in the morning as prescribed. Goes to 70’s in the night. Still multiple AF incidents.

Any advice on how long the dizziness should last. His blood pressure is fairly low (107/69)

The cardiologist has suggested to GP if this doesn’t work to up to 360 and a low dose of digoxin, but 360mg will surely make his dizziness worse I think he should be on 120 or 180.

I know we have to give the drug time to work but he has suffered so much the last 10 weeks I just want to help and get him back to his normal fit self.

[Buffafly]

I’m not sure what the diltiazem is supposed to achieve - is his hr in AF very high? I take 180 but when a bp med was added I had dizziness and episodes of slow heart rate so maybe his dose is too high in NSR - it’s difficult to balance.

[Buffafly in reply to Buffafly]

PS Maybe take the dose in the evening? I do

[Oak321 in reply to Buffafly]

Hi thanks for your reply, he was taken off bisoprosol as that was causing his cough and breathing problems and changed to a calcium channel blocker as he can’t take flecainide or soltorol. Prior to ablation his resting heart rate was high 50’s since it’s high 70’s When he gets AF it is normally 49 to 98ish but over he last 6 weeks it was going into 150’s but it seems that was because of the blue inhaler they told him to use for the breathing difficulties and cough!

Just spoken to the arrhythmia nurse she said to carry on taking it in the morning she is going to speak with the EP and call back.