Statins and heart rate?

[AmandaLouise77]

I recently started on statins, I've had AF and a successful ablation a year ago. My normal resting HR was 52. Cholesterol was slightly raised but with my history of AF statins were advised

Started atorvastatin 10 March, RHR stayed the same but headaches, sore joints and stuffy nose prompted a swap to rosuvastatin, last Friday 28 March.

RHR Friday night dropped to 50 and dropped again to 49 on Saturday where it has remained at rest ever since. My 'working' HR is slightly lower too and I've had to reset the low HR warning on my fitbit as it was buzzing every time I sat down. Lowest it drops to overnight is 42 only for a short time, all other readings are stable/normal for I feel well. I'm fit and active, 15 000 steps a day, 30+ active 'zone' minutes each day. 63 years

I'm not worried or anxious about this at all but my biologists mind is wondering if this is a known side effect? I can't find anything on patient info leaflet or google.

It surely can't be the cholesterol lowering affect as it happened so quickly.

Any ideas?

[Happyrosie]

are you on anything else? (Prescribed or over the counter).

[AmandaLouise77]

No beta blockers or anti coagulants, take multi vits and Mg but haven't changed anything. I'm on 2mg candersartan put on by original cardiologist when I was in severe heart failure (EF 28%) before my ablation. EF is now 55%+++ All my other drugs have been stopped over the last year. No one is now really sure why I'm on such a low dose of candersartan (it's a small childs dose) but EP is reluctant to take me off it and he says its such a small dose it's probably not doing much! (my thought is so take me off it then!) But I'm doing as I'm told. That shouldn't interact with rosuvastatin.

[Happyrosie in reply to AmandaLouise77]

Have a chat with a pharmacist I think.?

[jayjay10000]

Hi there, iam sorry to learn that you been having trouble with low HR...I have the same medication as you for cholesterol as my bad cholesterol is 3.1 now but in December it was 3.6, total cholesterol 5.6...my resting HR is 48bpm to 55bpm but I have notice that resting HR is alot lower now, when iam sleeping my HR is as low 45bpm....if at anytime you are feeling dizzy or even feeling sick because of low HR...Straight to A&E...when the HR is low the heart is not at its full potential...

[AmandaLouise77 in reply to jayjay10000]

Thanks, I feel absolutely fine full of energy and living my normal life. Perhaps I've morphed into a super fit athlete (albeit a slightly chubby one!)

[Goonerboy6661]

Really good question—and great body awareness. Statins aren’t usually known for lowering heart rate, but there are some possible explanations:

They may improve your autonomic balance, tipping you more into a relaxed/resting state (especially in fit people)

They calm inflammation quickly, which might subtly affect vascular tone and HR

And since you’ve had a successful ablation and are very active, your heart might just be settling into a more efficient rhythm

Your RHR and overnight low are still within a healthy range for someone fit—sounds like your body’s just finding a new baseline.

If you continue to feel well, and there are no other symptoms (dizziness, fatigue, shortness of breath). But it’s worth keeping an eye on over the next few weeks, especially as rosuvastatin builds up.

[jayjay10000 in reply to Goonerboy6661]

Fantastic advice 👏

[AmandaLouise77 in reply to Goonerboy6661]

Thanks for your comprehensive reply

[Jedi14]

As a fellow microbiologist, I was in a similar situation with the HR being like yours. I was not worried at the time, until I had further problems which led me to hospital and much later to see the cardiologist.

His comment was," I would like to see your HR go up"! So he started me on Bisoprolol 1.25mg. for AF, with a kick in time of 2months. It really did work and now my HR is much higher as well as my other problems controlled. I have also been taking Statin 80mg daily.

In your case, if there are no other problems I don't see why they would want to change your HR as long as it does not drop too low.

[AmandaLouise77]

Bisoprolol drops my heart rate, about 4bpm on 1.25mg, I can take half a tablet at times of stress or more if I go back into AF at any time but it's best avoided. When my AF was bad, waiting for ablation 5mg of bisoprolol turned me into a zombie with freezing hands and feet, a drippy nose and a half baked brain. Oh and don't forget the weird vivid dreams!

[bananaman2]

Hi, prior to CABG x 3 I was very fit with a RHR of 50-55. Post op and 8 months recovery it seems to have settled to between 48 and 52. I hadn’t considered the meds( I also take rosuvastatin). I have noticed that my heart strap which I wear when cycling gives me a slightly higher reading than my watch, so accuracy is questionable. I tend as time passes to HR watch less and go on how I feel. Like you I am full of energy. Best of luck and take care.