Heart rate monitor results - another update

[Nickybhf]

We had our second private consultation today for mum. Mum had the Zio XT monitor for a week. She has permanent AF and HF and the past couple of months have been so difficult as mum hasn’t felt good pretty much every day. The consultant said mum’s average heart rate is around 80 bpm, but the monitor results showed that the peak was 160 bpm! No wonder she has felt so restless these past couple of months. Mum was taking 3.75mg of bisoprolol once a day, furosemide 40mg a day and Apixaban twice a day. Consultant has suggested we increase the bisoprolol to twice a day to help control the heart rate. I really hope this helps. Mum has other conditions too so she’s on a lot of medication, I just hope this increase of bisoprolol helps her feel less anxious. She’s had difficulty sleeping, eating and her mood has been so low.

Does anyone else take bisoprolol twice a day for permanent AF? And does this help you feel less anxious?

[Tapanac]

my husband takes bisoprolol 2.5 twice a day and seems fine. We both have pacemakers which control heart rate going too low, but as I’ve just found out as I have covid which has messed everything up the PM hasn’t stopped the tachycardia (fast heart rate).

So your mum taking her bisoprolol for rate control twice a day will hopefully help

[Nickybhf in reply to Tapanac]

Thank you for your reply. I think we just need some reassurance. I hope you feel better real soon too.

[Buzby62]

I was on 1.25mg for Paroxysmal AF and after starting that all my AF episodes seemed to be early hours of the morning about 20hrs in to the daily dose. When they wanted to double my dose I asked if I could split it. I found this made my nights calmer and my episodes were then more random times of the day and little difference to overall heart rate. It’s a smaller dose and not for persistent AF but hopefully nights will be better for your mum too.

[Nickybhf in reply to Buzby62]

Thank you, I really hope so.

[Auriculaire]

How do you know that your mum's problems are not being exacerbated by the polypharmacy? Women often do worse on Bisoprolol . Many people do not tolerate it at all. I felt like a zombie on 5mg. Putting up the dose might control her heart rate better but not actually make her feel better. Having an elevated heart rate for long periods tends to make you feel tired not restless.

[Nickybhf in reply to Auriculaire]

Mum has been on bisoprolol for almost 2 years now. Yes, she does feel tired a lot. I’m just hoping the increase is tolerable now.

[mav7]

Does anyone else take bisoprolol twice a day for permanent AF? And does this help you feel less anxious?

Not unusual to take a beta blocker twice a day. Feeling less anxious is very subjective in each case.

Have to trust the doctor with the dosage. Avg heart rate of 80bpm is not that bad. Key is how long heart rate stays at 160bpm or a higher acceleration.

Continue to monitor her heart rate and blood pressure. Those Zio patches are the best but expensive for individuals.

[Nickybhf in reply to mav7]

Thank you, I think the heart rate was fluctuating a lot, plus I think maybe the heart rate of 80 bpm is okay for some, but the consultant said ideally we want it lower. I’m just trying to find a suitable monitor now so that we can monitor heart rate at home.

[mav7]

Check the Wellue 24 hr monitor. Pricey but good reports. Will monitor sleep rate.

Others may opine and consider doing a search for previous threads on the Wellue and other HRMs.

With persistent afib, I have the same avg rate as your mum. Goal is under 80 as stated by your doctor.

Also, if her blood pressure is high or spikes may cause anxiety/anxiousness.

[Nickybhf in reply to mav7]

Thanks. Will look into the Wellue monitor.

[NLGA]

hi

I take 5mg twice a day unfortunately I still get high heart beats to 190 I was in AF 15 hours out if 24 on my last monitor

But I’m not as breathless as before but still get bad days I am struggling to understand why I get such high heart beats to be honest

I am on flecainde 300mg half morning half night

I hope your mum finds it reduces he beats

[Nickybhf in reply to NLGA]

Thank you so much. Do you take bisoprolol twice a day as well as flecanide?

[NLGA in reply to Nickybhf]

Yes I do but I experimented with the beta blocker just at night 10mg and I was less fatigued during the day but I did check it was ok with my cardiologist and he said that fine so I will be doing that