Do I need these or are they 'precautionary'?

[blueshark]

I underwent coronary angioplasty due to a blocked artery but I'm told that my heart has suffered "no damage whatsoever", attributed to my fitness level. I have been prescribed beta blocker to "safeguard" my heart but don't understand this? If the artery was backed, and now it's clear and my heart suffered no damage, my BP is fine, my cholesterol low, why would I need BB?

[IanGordon]

Hi blueshark and we'll done for dodging any heart attack damage. May your good fortune continue. The angioplasty is a physically invasive procedure which is potentially inflammatory and disruptive. The beta blockers just slow everything down whilst your body heals and adjusts. They're not great to live with but I suspect they may well be a temporary measure for you. I had a couple of stents so was also prescribed Clopidogrel to reduce the risk of any clots. I dumped the BB's quickly as they were suppressing an already low heart rate and was drug free after 12 months. However I'm now back on the blockers after OHS but again hoping I can negotiate withdrawal once I heal and restore my fitness.

[blueshark in reply to IanGordon]

Yeah I’m also hoping they’re a temporary measure. Am (normally) active, running, cycling or ‘gym’ing daily. Was also given 80mg statin despite having lower cholesterol levels?

Hope all goes well with you and thanks for the reply.

[LADstent in reply to blueshark]

Indeed well done for dodging the bullet . Mine a Similar case The BBs were tolerable for me but the statins were not , they were insidious. I slowly felt tired and depressed. And had several other symptoms. When I gave them up I felt better in days. There are other views on necessity of statins I suggest you read about including Dr Kendrick. BBs are allowing the post stent recovery but you are right to ask Advice about how long to continue them. Good luck

[blueshark in reply to LADstent]

My doc has reduced my statins from 80mg to 20mg as they were causing muscle pain and I was literally ‘wiped out’.

I will take a look at the article you reference and thanks for the steer. Whilst I will ‘do as I’m told’ by my doctors, I will not blindly follow them and will question medications if I think they are prescribed ‘freely’ or are detrimental to me; I’ve had too many experiences of GPs issuing scripts unnecessarily when the same bloke can’t be bothered to conduct a BP test properly.

[LADstent in reply to blueshark]

Malcom Kendricks blog is good. The great cholesterol con his book. Very enlightening

[blueshark in reply to LADstent]

You've obviously done some reading on these subjects and thanks for the info. Do you by any chance know anything about post op exercise and heart rates?

I underwent an exercise tolerance test (ETT) at the hospital last week and was told that my heart was beating at 182BPM at peak exercise. Not knowing if that was good or bad I asked the attending cardiac nurse who told me that it was "excellent". However, as with everything else, as much as I derive comfort from reading on this condition, I was somewhat worried to read (typically, after my ETT, so unable to ask the experts the question) about exercise heart rates and the affect of meds. Apparently you should factor in the medications you are taking when calculating your maximum heart rate. Any clues?

[gunnerred67 in reply to IanGordon]

Yes I agree with you Ian. The beta blockers are temporary. I have them for a year.

[LADstent]

Max HR 182 is excellent. MHR based on age and usually you have to achieve 75% of MHR to get max benefits I believe . It’s wriiten in various Exercise Physiology journals but you should research Cardiac Rehab physiology on such when taking BBs.

[blueshark in reply to LADstent]

Cheers

[Ansteynomad]

This is a very good question OP. I am still under investigation, but my consultant is talking about beta blockers and statins, although my heart rate is entirely unremarkable and my cholesterol levels are pretty much optimal. I’m struggling to see what the benefit is to me.

[Dhomewood]

Hi Blueshark

Same story here -I had stent for a blocked artery but suffered no heart damage.

I’m on BBs too - my consultant said they will help to prevent it coming back else where (seeing as I’m prone to it).

That’s good enough for me to keep taking them

I have managed to reduce my statins to 40mg though after my cholesterol dropped to 3.1 (0.7 bad cholesterol)

Best of luck mate

Daren

[blueshark in reply to Dhomewood]

“Prone to it”? Has it happened before, family history?

[Dhomewood in reply to blueshark]

No he just said that now I’ve been diagnosed with CHD that he wants to minimise the risks.

He said that rest of my arteries were probably no worse that any other 48 year old but I’d now be a lower risk due to the meds.

[Hidden]

Looking at the replies to your post it appears (I could be wrong and apologise if so) that some have stopped taking meds without consulting their doctors or cardiologists - this is dangerous! For example, I take 2.5mg of Ramipril - a small dose that doesn't do much on a daily basis but my cardiologist prescribed it because that low dose can help prevent heart damage if I have a heart attack. Also, many patients stop taking statins because they get sore muscles which can be a very rare side effect. In reality, it's because of post-surgical pain, or exercising after a long break and not the statins. Finally, stopping some meds suddenly can cause major health risks - they need to be taken off slowly. Any issues with meds should be referred to a doctor, not a patient forum, for advice.