Hi everyone, I have asthma plus paroxysmal a fib. My normal inhalers are Flovent , Levalbuterol and I take montelukast. Also am on metoprolol Succinate Er for high blood pressure. Recently I had an episode of high blood pressure . The dr. Changed my metoprolol to cardivilol which is a non- selective beta blocker . When I went to pharmacy they told me that it was flagged by the system because it will interfere with my asthma meds. So the dr. Decided then to Double the metoprolol to 50 instead of 25 mg. The pharmacist did mention to me that the metoprolol is a selective beta blocker and if I am having trouble with my asthma to notify dr , but since I’ve never really had a problem with it in the past that it should be ok. So this stayed in the back of my mind. . Soon after starting the metoprolol I came down with a bug and my asthma flared up. So I was prescribed prednisone , antibiotics the usual. I started with 40 and yesterday I went down to 20 but had a lot of wheezing last night. So I probably will go back up on the prednisone maybe to 25 for today to see if I can finally tomorrow maybe continue downward. So now since am having a hard time with this flare all kind of thoughts are going through my mind about the beta blocker. It’s making me crazy lol. So I wanted to get a feel with you all for thoses of you that have asthma and blood pressure issues are any of you on metoprolol and have you had any issues with it interfering with your asthma. And am going to ck with the dr on Monday to see if maybe adding another inhaler to help. I’ve tried Spiriva in the past and it has helped. Have a great weekend.
Beta Blockers with asthma : Hi everyone... - Asthma Community ...
Beta Blockers with asthma
I was on bisoporol, a selective beta blocker, as well as felodipine and ramipiril for my blood pressure.
My first asthma consultant and my GP were happy with my being on bisoporol, as they said it was a selective beta blocker.
My asthma then went out of control, lots of hospital and prednisone. I then had my asthma consultant changed.
The new asthma consultant, then challenged, why I was on bisoporol, given I was on two other blood pressure medications. The GP had no answer to the question and I was taken off bisoporol.
The asthma consultant, made a number of changes, including the bisoporol change, so I cannot say which change made the difference, but my asthma did improve.
I asked my asthma consultant, re bisoporol, his view was from an asthma perspective I should only be on a beta blocker, if there was no alternative. So my question, for your doctor is, can he sort out your blood pressure and any other issues you have, without using beta blockers.
If you are on prednisone, hopefully you are also seeing or about to see a decent asthma specialist, who can give you advice re beta blockers from an Asthma perspective, and can chat through the balance of risks with your blood pressure doctor.
My new asthma specialist also put me on spiriva, which I like, and adjusted my inhalers.
Wow, what an encouraging email. Thank you. Last year I had a terrible time with my asthma Feb. March and April. I was only taking 25 mg of the metoprolol . When I had a visit with my cardiologist I brought up my issues with the asthma but he told me he wanted to me to stay on metoprolol . Then summer came which usually are the best months for me. Now In Nov. I usually have a flare which is what I am going through now on top of the blood pressure issue. I do suffer from paroxysmal a fib and that’s how I started with the metoprolol 8 years ago. My cardiologist is always so busy and sometimes I wonder if he really hears everything that I say. I have an appt. with his Nurse practioner along with him in Dec. and I have decided to put it straight to them to make sure they hear me this time and at the same time looking to change to someone else as soon as I can get in with another cardiologist . My pulmonary does listen and takes the time so I won’t have any problem with him which I also have an appt. in Dec. . Your words made me realize that I need to question theses issues for my health sake and unfortunately the cardiologist office is not run in an organized way and everybody is in such hurry they just don’t take the time to hear the patient. Thank you for helping me realize that yes beta blockers can bring along issues with asthma. And am glad that you were fortunate to have had a Dr. that questioned your medications. Best of luck to you. Thank you.
At my secondary hospital the cardiology and respiratory team have a regular meeting to discuss mutual patients. It is the forum at which they discuss patients who have both respiratory and cardiac issues. Maybe your hospital has the same.
I have Asthma and COPD and USED to have Blood pressure. I am not allowed Beta Blockers because of my COPD and as far as I know beta Blockers are contra-indicated with Asthmatics.
There are other treatments for blood pressure that with help hight blood pressure, I had Calcium Channel Blockers instread.
I am not a doctor nor offereing advice. you doctor may want you on beta blockers for a reason I don't know.
This link may give you an idea, Best tell your worries to your GP (Primary Care) I believe in the US.
Hi,
After 6 months on the beta blockers, my local doctor was initially concerned that my heart consultants had prescribed the bisoprolol 1.25mg to control my AF. ( I’d had no adverse Asthma symptoms, and usually take Fostair combined inhaler and montelukast).
After some correspondence between the 2 they said to continue as mature folk (I’m 55) Seem less sensitive to the beta blockers.
That was some years ago and I’ve been on them both for 6 years or more.
Recently I ended up in A&E with a bad Afib episode. The docs did say I could double the bisoprolol in such (rare & bad) episodes, but to keep my inhaler close if I do.
Just on asthma for a moment:
I’ve changed my diet over the last 18 months, and whilst it hasn’t changed my heart symptoms, my asthma has improved. The aim was to reduce inflammation with a combination of intermittent fasting and increasing fibre.
Causation or correlation, I don’t know, but there’s definitely an asthma improvement.
When I was prescribed drugs for paroxysmal AF I was only prescribed Flecainide. I was not prescribed a beta blocker. I was also prescribed a full aspirin which was later replaced by Warfarin. Daily Flecainide reduced my AF episodes to one or two ten-minute episodes a year. After 13 years of being on Flecainide, I was found to be in persistent though asymptomatic AF about seven years ago. I was taken off Flecainide, being just on Warfarin. For asthma I've been in a variety of inhalers during the 50 years I have had asthma. Currently on DuoResp Spiromax 320/9 inhaler,
I have also taken Doxazosin for several years to relax my prostate. Its other use is to reduce blood pressure.
About six years ago I had a grumbling appendix, saw an out of hours doctor on a Saturday morning, referred to a particular ward of a local hospital, and was first "re-coagulated" with intravenous Vitamin K . At 2.30 on a Sunday morning the operation under general anaesthetic began and my appendix was removed successfully. However my heart rate rose significantly. It was 190bpm when they woke me up, 3 hours after the operation had finished. I was subsequently prescribed 2.5mg of Bisoprolol by a hospital doctor, status not known.
I was discharged when my heart rate had fallen to about 75bpm .
7 weeks after starting Bisoprolol I started with painful intermittent rashes which were diagnosed as urticaria, also known as hives. I was weaned off Bisoprolol, during which time I had a very sudden exacerbation of asthma. Fortunately I was in a pharmacy. An ambulance was called and I was admitted to hospital. I had no infection so was only in hospital three days, being given numerous nebulisers and put on prednisolone.
My medical records now have a warning not to prescribe beta blockers. The urticaria was treated with Ceterizine and the rashes disappeared totally after 4 years.
Thomas so sorry to hear what you went through. That sounds awful. The inhaler that you are on now is Symbicort here in US. It’s known here as a LABA inhaler. I had a televisit with my Dr. And when I brought up that I think my metoprolol is causing my asthma to get worse he immediately decided to take action. Not sure why they haven’t noticed that it could be a potential problem with people with asthma before. The Dr. just changed my inhaler to Breo which is also a long acting beta agonist like Duoresp Spiromax . And is working on changing my Metoprolol to a calcium channel blocker. Have you had any trouble with the inhaler triggering your a fib ? And are u currently taking a high blood pressure medicine ? Its sad that we have to experience problems with our medications before things change. Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts.
I was on Symbicort 400/22, prior to getting DuoResp Spiromax 320/9, which is a brilliant dry powder inhaler.I take Doxazosin to relax my prostate. Its other use is to reduce blood pressure. My BP is always around 120/70. I consider that only the use of sphygmomometers (spelling might be wrong) the, give accurate readings for a person in permanent AF.
Hi Jances- just thought I’d chip in but my response may not be very relevant. I just wanted to say that my husband has afib and high blood pressure (no asthma) He takes Ramipril for his BP and was put on Edoxaban for a fib. No beta blockers.
Hello, I have recently been put on the lowest possible dose of Bisoprolol (1.25 mg) for persistent tachycardia and slightly high blood pressure. I was very unsure about having a Beta Blocker because years ago when my Asthma was mild I had been given one, I don't remember which and my Asthma immediately became worse. However the GP I saw reassured me that a Cardioselective Beta Blocker like Bisoprolol should be much better and to come back if any problems. I know it is a tiny dose in the scheme of things but so far it doesn't seem to have impacted my Asthma at all. I am also on regular high dose Fostair and also Spiriva whereas before I just had Ventolin so that , maybe helps 
Hi , thank you for taking the time to share. Metoprolol is also a cardio selective and I’ve been on 25 mg for about 8 years . Never really had a problem . So now they upped to 50 mg which am getting over an asthma flare but it could be coincidental because the weather is changing and I usually get sick in Nov. . I am waiting to see what happens . If not they said they could change it to verapimil or diltiazem . But a little hesitant that it won’t control my a fib. 😀
I had a severe coughing episode and low O2 levels and ended up in hospital for 2 weeks. This was just over 1 year ago. I was on bisoprolol for af for 12 months before this event. After the low O2 was brought back up to normal levels the consultant changed my af meds because he suggested that bisoprolol can bring on asthma. Now I am living with asthma.
See how u are whn reduce prednisolone,they can have I thinking allsietds and cause anxiety at times.iv had no prob with bisoprolol for heart arrhythmia.hope yr flare up soon settles+ steroids not keeping u awake
Just diagnosed with asthma.33y old female.Taking prednisone, duoneb (ipratropium bromide and albuterol), advair hfa, ventolin, montelukast.
Newly diagnosed with Asthma in last three months
General anaesthetics for gallbladder removal and asthma. 
