Reflex Tachycardia

[FraserB]

Has anyone experienced reflex tachycardia with their prescribed rate control medication for afib/ flutter, either calcium channel blockers or beta blockers? I take diltiazem 120 mg extended release (and apixaban) and when sleeping have been experiencing a quick heart beat for only a minute around 90 bpm that wakes me up and then goes right back down to 60 bpm in a minute. Normal sitting when awake on diltiazem is 60 bpm, with blood pressure on average 95/55.

I'm thinking diltiazem is lowering even more when sleeping with reflex tachycardia the body's way of increasing blood pressure when it gets way to low. I do not have sleep apnea (took the test for this). I see the cardiologist in a few weeks.

[mjames1]

90 bpm is not considered tachycardia. but if it's waking you up, ask for an overnight or 7-day ekg patch to better investigate.

Jim

[FraserB in reply to mjames1]

Thanks Jim, when I see the cardiologist, I will ask to be monitored for a week. You are right, 90 bpm is definitely not tachycardia. I was wondering if it could be flutter 4:1. My afib mostly presents (or morphs) into flutter and possibly the diltiazem (rate control) is bringing down the rate?? A weeks patch for monitoring will give more info.