Bisoprolol and low pulse

[Britishgas]

I have been prescribed 1.25mg of Bisoprolol for my irregular heartbeat which I start tonight. I am so worried as my pulse is usually about 45-48, but consultant wants me to try it and see how I go and hope it doesn’t make me to bradycardic. Has anyone else ever taken Bisoprolol with low pulse? & were there any side effects.

[Derbados]

Hey BG.

I take bisoprolol at 1.25mg and have done for well over a year. This is to settle palpitations and to keep my blood pressure under control.

I used to be very athletic and fit and have a very strong heart. My resting HR used to be around 50. When I started taking the Bisoprolol it did drop down slightly to around 45 - 47.

At one point my doctor did try me on 2.5mg but my HR used to drop below 40 and he put me back onto 1.25mg.

The side effects I experienced when I first started taking Bisoprolol was cold hands and feeling tired some of the time. These eventually disappeared after about 8 months and I think the trade off was worth it.

I think you need to look out for dizziness if your HR falls down too far, but I think it is defo worth attempting and seeing how you get on.

[Britishgas in reply to Derbados]

Thanks for your reply, I have had my reservations because 2 GPs said they wouldn’t put my on Bisoprolol because of my low pulse

[Hatchjd]

I take 1.25mg following 2 stents a year ago. My pulse was normally low 50’s. My resting pulse is now around 45 now but have no side effects.

[Britishgas in reply to Hatchjd]

Thanks for your reply. I only wish my pulse was a little higher then I would not be as concerned

[GracieOS]

Yes. I'm now up to 10mg to try and deal with ectopics. My pulse is low, can be as low as 38/39 at night. This doesn't pick up the ectopics though. Its been a slow process to get the dose this high. Main side effect for me is tiredness.

[Britishgas in reply to GracieOS]

Thanks for your reply I just wish my pulse was a little higher. I have been watching Dr Sanjay Gupta on YouTube all about ectopic heartbeat really helpful for anyone who has this condition

[bantam12]

I have bradycardia so now have a pacemaker so I can safely take the Bisoprolol without my rate going to low.

[Britishgas in reply to bantam12]

I think maybe a pacemaker would be my answer but because of coronavirus this has not been offered to me

[RuthSE25]

I've found that 1.25 of Bisoprolol has got rid of my palpitations and other symptoms, and am very glad that my GP put me on it. It took a few weeks before I realized I was 'my old self', so my advice is to stick with it, despite your reservations. However, my resting heart-rate is 56/57, so higher than yours, and I'm female. I found that, initially, when I exerted myself, I got overheated and had to take regular rests, but over time that has mostly stopped. Hope you find this helpful.

[Britishgas in reply to RuthSE25]

Thanks for your reply. It’s only because of my low pulse that I’ve got reservations. When I collected my prescription, I spoke to pharmacist and she was concerned about my low pulse and said to make sure my partner was with me all night, making me even more worried

[Sorre1]

Have been taking Bisoprolol 1.25 for over 12 months now for Paroxismal AF. I have bradycardia and it was around 45-48 normally. I also had a loop recorder fitted and that showed instances when pulse rate drops to mid 30s. However, have also had to go to A&E because pulse raced to 170 and stuck there for 6 hours.

Have been times when I feel a bit ‘distanced’, not dizzy exactly but not fully aware and those seem to coincide with the spells of Brady.

Have now got a pacemaker to control the Brady and Cardiologist will increase Bisoprolol and prescribe Flecainide to control the high/irregular spells.

[Britishgas in reply to Sorre1]

Thanks for your reply. Yes I think it’s going to be a case of try it and see but it’s still a worry of how it will affect me.

[Mikedabike]

I would imagine it would be worth trying and see how you go. Clearly it is a drug that has very different effects for different people. I was put on 1.25 mg after my AVR. 12 months before my operation, before I lost fitness my resting heart rate was high 40’s, low 50’s. Whilst on the bisoprolol, my heart dropped lower when I was seated and inactive. I suffered from severe dizzy spells which at times completely floored me, sometimes for as long as an hour or so. Within 8 weeks of the surgery my GP and surgeon decided to stop the drug. In the first 2 weeks after that I had very minor dizzy spells. After that I had no recurrence of these episodes. Personally I hope I never have to take the awful things again. However, as I say, clearly everyone is different and it appears to be of great benefit for many people.

[Britishgas in reply to Mikedabike]

My partner has been on 1.25mg of Bisoprolol for a year since his heart attack and not had any dizzy turns but his pulse is a lot higher than mine. This is why I’m still so reluctant to take it but ectopic episodes are distressing

[Handel]

My hubby has been on 1.25mg Bisoprolol for nearly 2 years. Prior to taking this his BP was text book and his resting pulse was low 40's (He's 69). He hasn't had any side effects and nothing appears to have changed - his BP is still great and his resting pulse rate has moved up to mid 40's!!!

Our GP has just kept him on the drug.

It does appear that a few people do suffer from dizzy spells though. Good luck to you xxxx

[Britishgas]

Hi Did he have ectopic episodes and if so did the Bisoprolol help with those? It’s the thudding in my neck and tummy that is so distressing Thank you

[krzemas in reply to Britishgas]

Hello Britishgas, your situation looks very similar to mine so I decided to write back. For 4 days I started taking Concor Cor with the pulse falling during sleep to 34 and during the day I am often 50. Doctors prescribed me 1.25mg but I was afraid as well and I take half a tablet and I feel very well. I hardly feel any extra heartbeats at all. If you are afraid, I recommend starting with an even smaller dose, I do not feel weak and even have more energy. I hope you can understand something from what I wrote because I use google translator for which I am sorry but my own English is not that good and I do not live in an English speaking country.

[Britishgas in reply to krzemas]

Many thanks for your reply. It does help to know that you are ok taking a similar beta blocker with a low pulse. Yes maybe me taking 1/2 a tablet to see how I go is a good idea. Thank you again for your reassurance

[aycarmela in reply to krzemas]

Im in a similar situation. I'm 40 and had some episodes of inappropriate tachycardia and ectopic episodes secondary to anxiety. I was scared to hell about taking it because my pulse is already low. 50's resting during the day and low 40's when sleeping. But my doctor was aware of that and I decided to trust him. I'm on 1.25mg as well, taking in the mornings as I already take perindopril + indapamida in the evenings for elevated diastolic BP. This morning I freaked out a bit because my BP was 97/62 but I didn't feel any symptoms, so tried to not bother too much. I also do intermittent fasting (16/8) and that may also contribute to this low BP. Pulse during the day right now on average is 53. Will update you after some days but so far, it seems fine. What I've learned from all the readings on the topic is the symptoms are much more important than the HR number. So, if you are asymptomatic, it means you body handles low HR well.

Only side effects I felt so far was being a bit tired during the day and waking up with numbing/tingling hands (which I had it before, so I believe it will get better).

[Britishgas]

Thank you so much for your reply. I went to A&E as I felt so awful. The doctor there said I should take the Bisoprolol as the cardiologist had recommended it. I read Krzemas reply and tried 1/2 tablet at night and felt a lot better but then after a week the ectopics came back, thumping in neck and tummy, spoke to my GP and she said to stop taking it as my pulse went down to around 36 bpm, so am back to square one. It’s now about 42/44 rising to about 51/52 later in day. I have started taking magnesium to help and am awaiting to hear what the cardiologist says.

[pablojack]

I had intermitent atrial flutter combined with bradycardia with thousands of ectopics. When the flutter became permanent i had a cardioversion which cured the flutter, eliminated the ectopics but left me with a resting heart rate of c46bpm' I was prescribed with bisoprolol 1.25 mg and an ARB ( for suspected cardiomyopathy) but stopped the bis almost immediately since I thought that I did not want to lower my BPM any lower. I have never had any symptoms and now take no medications. I still have bpm of around 46 without symptoms.

The takeaway is that the low heart rate in itself is almost meaningless. I don't know what my heart rate is during the night but of course I suspect it is lower. You need not be over concerned about the heart rate itself but more about the symptoms.Here you need to rely on your cardiologist who will be well aware of the very different symptoms which may or may not come along with a low heart rate.

[Britishgas]

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately not been able to see a cardiologist only my GP who wrote to him with my symptoms

In his letter he says try 1.25mg Bisoprolol ( doesn’t say morning or night) providing it doesn’t make me too bradycardic ( what figure is too bradycardic) Feel I’m groping in the dark. My GP is trying to get me an appointment with him !!

[Britishgas]

I took my first 1.25mg Bisoprolol at 8.30pm last night. As they say it’s best to take in the morning is it safe for me to take one this morning. Did make me feel light headed

[Britishgas]

Yes I do. I am 70. No one has said it’s related to low pulse all cardiologist said was low pulse is good

[Britishgas]

I get thumping in my tummy & neck. No this was a different cardiologist who said that but when I was in A&E I told the cardiologist there & he agreed

[Britishgas]

Not really sure , if I get it again( hopefully never) I will check my pulse

[Britishgas]

It started about a year ago before that I just used to feel as though my heart flipped which was a strange feeling but could live with that.