ANTI-ARRYTHMATIC DRUGS AND SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH

[LORIANDTOM]

LAST WEEK ON A HALTER MONITOR, I HAD 15,000 PVC'S IN 24 HOURS.  MY CARDIOLOGIST HAS ME GOING TO THE HOSPITAL ON MONDAY TO TRY ANTI-ARRYTHMATIC DRUGS.  I HAVE TRIED BETA BLOCKERS BUT HAD SIDE EFFECTS.  I AM CONCERNED SINCE READING UP ON THIS.  ARE THESE DRUGS SAFE?  THEY CAN MAKE THE PROBLEM EVEN WORSE, RIGHT.  DO I HAVE TO CONSTANTLY WORRY ABOUT THAT OR DO THEY FIGURE OUT THE CORRECT DOSAGE IN THE HOSPITAL AND YOUR OK?  WILL THEY CAUSE SUDDEN CARDIAC DEATH?

ALSO I THOUGHT I HAD A CHEST INFECTION AND AM TAKING ZITHROMAX AND MY PVC'S SEEM A LOT LESS IN FREQUENCY.  IS THERE ANY CORRELATION?

THANK-YOU

LORI

[CCF-M.D.-CRC]

Dear Lori,
Antiarrhythmic drugs are safe for the most part.  In persons with structural heart disease there is an increased risk for sudden death while taking some antiarrhythmics.  This risk is usually seen early and in some patients the drug is started in the hospital on a monitored bed for this reason.  Other drugs may be started safely on an outpatient basis.  Zithromax may actually have some antiarrhythmic properties and should not be taken at the same time and other antiarrhythmic drugs. You other option to discuss with your doctor would be an ablation procedure which could potentially cure you.

[Lyn2]

Lori,
15,000 is alot of PVC's in 24 hours, but taking antiarrythmic medication for it seems a little drastic.  There are many side effects.  I take amiodarone, an antiarrythmic.  I still have about as many PVC's as you do, and I was told that the antiarrythmic medication I was taking was for v-tach, and a-fib.  The doctor here has mentioned a number of times that they are doing ablations at Cleveland Clinic for PVC's, if it is terribly bothersome.  I think that starting antiarrythmics should be weighed carefully with other alternatives.  
Good luck!!!!

[LORIANDTOM]

I will be taking my last dose of zithromax on Sunday and am going into the hospital on Monday.  I read on the package that it still works for a few more days.  Would this still be a problem with anti-arrythmatic drugs?

Lori

[ssolley]

I have been admitted two times for the start of two different AA drugs.  First it was Tambacor and then Betapace.  They do regulate your dose while in the hospital.  You will be in the very best place you can be.  Just relax, bring a book and let them monitor you.  It's really all you can do.  I have PVC's as well, but am very symptomatic.  Thats why I've been prescribed the AA drugs.  I wish you a lot of luck.

Sue

[LaurieD]

Hi and Happy Holidays to all! I've posted here before, but for those who haven't read my comments, I'll update you. I have Mitral Valve Prolapse with mild regurgitation, bouts of atrial fibrillation <paroxymal they call it> and thousands of PAC's a day! I am 41 years old and had the MVP since my twenties. I was taking propranolol for this, then when I had my first documented atrial fibrillation episode, went to ER and they put me on Tenormin. I was on Tenormin for about a year and a half and continued to have bouts of atrial fibrillation. I then developed these PAC's that came on more frequently by the day. I finally got together with an Electrophysiologist <EP doctor> who did studies. He said it was my pulmonary vein causing these problems. He started me on verapamil slow release 120 mg twice a day. This brought symptom relief of about 50-75%. More recently he has replaced the Tenormin with 20 mg twice a day of Corgard <nadolol>. I feel great, symptoms are getting better by the day, no signs of atrial fibrillation and every day the PAC's get better. Ask your doctor to try some of these safer meds before going to the extremes of antiarrhythmics. Also my doctor said it's fine to supplement these heart drugs with some magnesium, COQ-10, Hawthorne Berry, L-Carnitine, and L-Taurine. So far I haven't done so, and may not need to. Try to talk to your doctor first, as my EP didn't feel the anti arrhythmics were the way to go, said they can cause even more arrhythmias in the long run. Good luck and God Bless all!

[LORIANDTOM]

LAURIE AND SUE:

THANKS FOR YOUR COMMENTS.  I AM NOT HAVING THE MEDS ON MONDAY- I FOUND OUT THAT ZITHROMAX HAS ANTI-RHTYMIC PROPERTIES TO IT AND IT COULD BE DANGEROUS TO START AA WHILE IT IS IN MY SYSTEM.

LIVING IN THE STICKS-IT'S NOT EASY TO FIND AN ELECTROPHSYIOLOGIST, BUT I AM ON THE MISSION TO FIND ONE.

WHAT I HAVE READ ABOUT THE AA'S HAVE CONCERNED ME AND OF COURSE, I AM NEVER A TYPICAL PATIENT AND HAVE STRANGE REACTIONS TO MEDICATIONS SO I WOULD LIKE TO EXPLORE FURTHER OPTIONS.

BUT LIVING WITH THESE PVC'S- IT REALLY DOES MESS UP MY EVERYDAY LIFE AND MAKES IT SO HARD TO BE PATIENT.  EVEN THOUGH I HAVE BEEN TOLD THEY ARE BENIGN I HAVE THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS EACH DAY AND IT JUST LEAVES ME A  ROUGH STATE.

LORI

[LORIANDTOM]

HI.  DID YOU JUST HAVE PVC'S?  I TOO, AM VERY SYMPTOMATIC.  THEY ARE RULING MY LIFE!  DID YOU TRY BETA BLOCKERS?  I HAVE BUT NOT WITH MUCH LUCK.  DID YOU HAVE THIS LONG BEFORE YOU WENT THE AA ROUTE?  ANY SIDE AFFECTS OR CONCERNS?

THANKS FOR ANY INFO!

LORI

[ssolley]

Hi Lori - Yes I've tried 2 different beta blockers, neither worked and I did get side effects from them that lead to stop taking them - besides the fact that they did not do very much.  I just have PVC's but a lot of them.  I am very symptomatic so much so that my cario tells me I am very "sensitive" and feel everyhing.  Which I know I do !  I have trouble sleeping because when I lay down I feel them more.  Even now with Betapace I feel them.  It is very stressful and frustrating.  I have had very few side afects from the AA's.  I tried Tambacor and it seemed to have worked for a few months but they came back but no other side affects.  Betapace has enlongated my QT, but not to the point of having long-QT if that makes sense !  I'm kind of in that "grey" area of long.  I am being watched for that.  I go back the day after Christmas for another check-up.  We will see how that goes. I have gained weight since going through all of this, due to the fact that I really don't exercise because I'm basically afraid to - not sure if the med's have anything to do with the gain.  I'm going to start again, my cario says to go ahead, but I'm, still a little leary of doing so !

Best of luck.. email me if you'd like : ***@****.

Sue

[sienna1]

Hi,

My PVCs do better when i exercise.  It really makes my
heart more regular.  

Sienna

[LaurieD]

I just read what you wrote, glad you didn't go the antiarrhythmic route yet. I know how you feel, I also have around 10,000 or more a day. It's a terrible feeling, like every fifth beat, every other beat, etc. My doctor says mine are PAC's which are Premature Atrial Contractions, I've seen them referred to as PVC's which are Premature Ventricular Contractions, there IS a difference. Mine are due to my pulmonary vein, but I also have mitral valve prolapse. Normal ablation won't work on these, only open heart from what I'm told and the procedure is new and risky because it's new and because it's open heart. My doc says they are benign and that right now I'm healthy. If I elected to have the surgery <it isn't an option right now as they won't do it "just for PAC's or PVC's> he said I might not stay healthy. I know it's hard to imagine ourselves as healthy with this problem, but they ARE the experts. We see many like ourselves on this board, and everyone suffers similar problems, and all our doctors agree that they are nothing to worry over, so maybe we are best off trying to believe that. Good luck, I feel for you. Mine are bad tonight, stress bringing it on no doubt. These meds really are helping most of the time, I just learn to make the most of the good days :)