slow heart rate

[Bill509]

since taking eperenonone I have experienced heart rate 37 but I have a pacemaker set to minimum 60 anyone else experiencing this

[Lezzers]

Hi BillHow are you reading your heart rate? From a smart watch?

[Bill509 in reply to Lezzers]

manual also dizziness at the time

[Lezzers in reply to Bill509]

Do you also take your blood pressure? Low BP can also cause dizziness. As you have a pacemaker fitted if your HR goes below 60 then your pacemaker should immediately bring it back up again. My husbands previous ICD paced him at 50, occasionally when I did his pulse manually I would pick up that it had dropped below 50 but if i immediately took his pulse again it would be 50 or above. However 60 to 37 does seem a big drop & that coupled with the dizziness I think you should contact you GP/cardiologist or pacing clinic. Do you have a home monitor for your pacemaker? Meanwhile if it happens again perhaps phone nhs111 for advice.

[Bill509 in reply to Lezzers]

Yes have decided to do that I thank you for your interest and for your time

[sandandkev]

I do hope you are taking your pulse manually and not just using a smart watch

[Bill509 in reply to sandandkev]

Yes

[JezzaJezza]

I get that folks are saying ‘don’t use a smart watch’ but they aren’t out by 13 bpm!

I compare my Apple Watch with a blood pressure cuff monitor and also a chest strap and it is never out by more than 1bpm. Numerous studies have shown that smart watches are accurate for reading your pulse rate.

[Bill509 in reply to JezzaJezza]

At the time of the episode I checked with watch 2bp monitors and manually all accurate

[JezzaJezza in reply to Bill509]

Yep that’s always been my experience with them. I hope you get some answers.

Best wishes

J

[Bill509 in reply to JezzaJezza]

My question was about eplerenone if anyone has had a similar issue

[Lezzers in reply to Bill509]

Hi Bill

Eplerenone is a diuretic, I don't believe it lowers your heart rate but it can certainly lower your blood pressure which may account for the dizziness and the low HR probably isnt helping that as well

[Lezzers in reply to JezzaJezza]

Unfortunately smart watches aren't so accurate if you have a heart device. My husband's smart watch was consistently telling him that his HR was in the 70's, just by chance I did his pulse manually and his HR was actually dipping into the 40's. I monitored his pulse for 2 weeks, the watch still showed HR in the 70's but manually it was more low 50's & often in the 40's. He had an ICD, he had an urgent recall to Papworth who set his ICD to pace him at 50. We were told don't rely on the watch.

[JezzaJezza in reply to Lezzers]

All I can say is that the Apple Watch is very accurate and there are numerous studies attesting to the accuracy. I agree that not all devices are off the same calibre.

[Lezzers in reply to JezzaJezza]

I agree not all smart watches are the same & Apple may well be the best out there but no smart watch is accurate when you have a heart device. The best method is to take your pulse manually, the hospitals & my husbands nurse all take his pulse manually despite their BP machines showing pulse rates.

[Bill509 in reply to Lezzers]

Yes you should always check manually

[Lezzers in reply to Bill509]

Definitely, no matter how good a smart watch is it's not very accurate if you have a heart device.

[Ladydancer in reply to JezzaJezza]

Hi Jezza , I did the same checking with my watch and had a low heartbeat so I went to hospital and doctor told me I was fine and to take no notice of the Apple Watch,

Still kept feeling ill turned out I have a leaky heart valve,

No one knows your body more that you so do not let them tell you it’s nothing.