Question Title: Interactions of atenolol and cardizem CD

I have recently (October) had a heart attack and had an angioplast and a stent. I've also had double bypass surgery. I am currently taking 25 mg of atenolol twice a day and 300 mg of cardizem once a day. Recent blood tests have shown that my triglyceride level has been rising and is currently over 300. I have heard that the combination of these two drugs can raise triglyceride levels. Is this true?

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Dear Mark, thank you for your question. Beta blockers alone can raise the LDL cholesterol and triglyceride levels, but these increases are usually not clinically relevant. Calcium channel blockers do not affect lipid levels alone or in combination with beta blockers. I suggest that you speak with your cardiologist about how to address this problem.

I hope you find this information useful. Information provided in the heart forum is for general purposes only. Only your physician can provide specific diagnoses and therapies. Please feel free to write back with additional questions. Good luck.

If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.

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