Bisoprolol Experience.

[Vegart]

On the 4th of April, 2023, I had a Triple Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Operation. I was then prescribed Bisopralol 10mg, a day, including to help control my high blood pressure. That was despite my telling the hospital doctors that that might not be suitable, because Betablocker medicines like that lower the heart rate (=pulse), and my heartrate had always been low (inherited from my father) at around 50, but latterly had been in the 40s, and sometimes down to 36 per minute. It did make my heart rate too low, and so the Hospital, and later on my GP, had to reduce the dose, and currently it is down to 1.25 mg, a day (since the 23rd of January, 2023. Other side effects that I think l have been caused by Bisopralol are: worsening of my Raynauds Disease (cold and hands and feet becoming colder, and turning red, white, and then blue, and, at times, with pins and needles, or going numb). These have slightly improved with the latest Bisopralol reduction, to 1.5 mg. Also, the Bisopralol seems to have been causing increased sensitivity to substances, and making my nasal passages block, At the higher doses it seemed to make me feel slightly unsteady, and my thinking slower.

[RufusScamp]

I am on 10mg Bisoprolol and managing to function. It does not suit everyone, so ask your medical team to try another.

[Sb1171]

I have recently switched from Bisoprolol to Nebivolol. I did a fair amount of research before doing so and there is evidence that, compared to Bisoprolol at equivalent dose, Nebivolol:

• Is more potent at reducing BP (and uses a unique vasodilation mechanism that may have other benefits)

• Is less potent at reducing HR, but does so more consistently (less in terms of peak/trough over 24 hours)

• Does not reduce cardiac output to the same extent (which could mean greater flow to the extremities)

• Has less impact on night time melatonin (so potentially less impact on sleep quality)

Apologies that I have not taken time to add references to the above, but you should be able to google the relevant studies on these topics if you want further evidence/detail.

To add my personal experience, I am now on 5mg Nebivolol rather than 3.75mg Bisoprolol. It is supposed to be equivalent mg to mg, so my dose has increased slightly. BP is the same. HR is about 5 beats higher, but still only resting at 55bpm. I think I sleep better, but that’s a bit subjective.

It may be worth researching and considering as an alternative?

[Carriefarm]

I had to stop taking Bisoprorol as it caused my pulse to drop too low and contributed to a visit to A/E where I was found to have a raised troponin level. I wear an Apple Watch and had 9 notifications of pulse dropping below 40 for 10 mins each time. I think you should certainly discuss coming off them with your GP.