low heart rate and prednisone

[Plains]

Good morning, has anyone experienced low heart rate while on prednisone? About two weeks ago I ended up I the hospital where I received a IV drip of 500 mg of prednisone. Once home I was lowered to 20 mg. I have noticed my heart rate usually during the night early morning is 54. I do have some chest discomfort as well.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

If you have chest pain/discomfort please seek medical advice. A heart rate of 54 while resting in bed is not in and of itself a problem but it depends why and chest pain must be taken seriously. I have episodes of fast heart rate that are followed by low heart rate, as low as 40 at times. It shouldn't go any lower than that because that is what my pacemaker is set at - and I have the pacemaker because it was going lower. I have atrial fibrillation that is almost certainly due to the autoimmune part of PMR and that is the cause of my irregular heart rate.

[Plains in reply to PMRpro]

Thank you I do have a call into the doctor. I have been having GI issues so it’s hard to tell what is going on.

[PMRpro Ambassador in reply to Plains]

What sort of GI issues?

There is an increased risk of cardiac problems in GCA for the first year after diagnosis - am I assuming correctly that the i.v. 500mg pred was because of GCA symptoms? And women with cardiac issues present VERY differently from men .

[Plains in reply to PMRpro]

I have reflux and do take omeorazole for many years now. They gave me the 500 mg because I was starting to have some vision issues, which I think was do to very dry eyes. The eye doctor put plugs in my tear ducs and gave me drops which has pretty much corrected my blurry vision. I hate thinking going to the hospital as my GP suggested for my blurry vision caused me unnecessarily to be given such a high dose of steroids. Still waiting for the doctor to call me back. I dropped down to 15 mg today and will stay there for a week or so before reducing another 5 maybe… will consult with my doctor. It has been some roller coaster to say the least. Last but not least my stomach is very bloated, which also, I think has to do with my GI stuff. I have no pain anywhere else thank god!

[Sharitone]

I think I would be trying to get medical help as soon as possible, if only to set my mind at rest.🙂

[LadyPam]

My heart rate regularly drops below 40 when I’m sleeping (last 6 months or so) queried with GP & had a ECG which was normal & have a face to face appointment on Thursday. But I wouldn’t have known about this if my Apple Watch hadn’t alerted me. Currently on 3mg of Pred.

[Anonnomus]

Since I started on prednisone in early May, my resting heart rate has dropped from mid 50’s to 40 in a straight line monthly decline. I have atrial fibrillation too. Seeing cardiologist Thursday. No chest pains.

[Plains in reply to Anonnomus]

Thank you mine always was around 63. My doctor told me I should not worry about 54. I am seeing my heart doctor next week.