Beta Blockers causing the problem?

[wingtip]

As I've stated in prior posts, I was diagnosed with cronic A-Fib five years ago, had two cardioversions that didn't take, and was put on beta blokers four and a half years ago.  It was then that I experienced some chest discomfort, so they did a thallium stress, which then got me an angiogram, because it showed a minor blockage in the bottom of the heart.  Angio came back fine, after a year Doctor moved me to calcium channel blockers and dig, started to run , and in 2002, completed, very slowly, four 26 mile marathons.  Doctor ran a holter due to a slow EKG, and found four second pauses while I was sleeping, so he bumped me off the dig and the CCB and put me on Acibuteral.  Immed. got Asthma, cut back on dose, but my exercise tolorance just kept going down.  Last October, asked to go back to the CCB, he ran a Pet Scan and exercise stress and last week when I had my follow-up, he told me I had a significant blockage in the left main.  Had another angio to confirm, the doctor found no change, everything fine.  The questions are:
1: Do beta blockers cause false negitives, and can they ruin your exercise tolerance that much?
2:If I don't have a blockage, what types of things could cause such a strong false positive?  Could it be the beta blockers?
3:Can exercise induced asthma cause angina post-exercise?
Thanks for your help

[Cleveland Clinic]

wingtip,

1) If your talking about false positives stress test. Then no, beta blockers really do not interfere with the testing part, unless they do not allow your heart rate to acheive a level to cause ischemia. They definitely can affect your energy level. Some ways to deal with this are to try different agents or change the timing of the dose.

2) Cardiac catheterization carries more risk then doing stress testing and is more expensive. However, stress testing sometimes over identifies people due to false positive test. In order to not expose people to excessive risk, and not break the health care bank, we often start with stress testing which can sometimes lead to false results. Things that can interfere with the test include things like body habitus and movement during the test.

3) Asthma can cause chest discomfort in and by itself apart from anginal pain. Sometimes these are difficult to tell apart. Also the condition of hypoxia from asthma or the stress form difficulty breathing can precipitate angina.

good luck

[wingtip]

thanks doctor.  THe stress test was fine, but the pet scan (nuclear test) showed the "blockage".  My follow up is next week.  I'm hoping he will tell me the Pet Scans make many mistakes and he will take me off the beta blocker.  Or I'll get my internist to pull me off.  Either way, I would rather have a slow heart rate and be able to excercise than to peter out after two miles and have the angina all day.  

If any one else has had a nuclear test that seemed to be way off base when checked by an angiogram, could you let me know. I

[wingtip]

As long as I'm adding to my own post.  Hankstar, you seem to find the decent web sites.  Are there any places to go to research beta blocker complications?  Also, would short runs of a very fast heart beat cause angina, as opposed to blockages causing lack of oxygen.  The doctor that did the angio hinted at something in hte heart wall could cause a false positive on the nuclear, but I can't find a reference on the web, and I'd like to have intellegent questions for my follow-up Monday.

[wingtip]

Thanks Hank, I have never noticed palps, even when the doctors or nurses tell me I'm having them.  I never noticed the low heart rate, the doctors pick that out when they are doing the standard tests.  I was actually put on the beta blocker because the ccb and dig caused it to drop during sleep time into the 20s.

The asthma only occured after I was put back on the beta blockers, as was the case with the angina, which in and of itself has never bothered me.  When the doctors ask if I have chest pain, my general response, "no more than usual", although it become more noticable and stronger over the past six months, its probably more of a stress thing than a cardiac problem.

If everything goes right, I'll be off the beta blockers and back to my stress relieving runs by the spring.  I've got a guarenteed spot in this years NYC marathon.

[I'mallheart]

hello all..i also take atenolol 25 mg a day...had a few bouts of fast arryhmia in fall...i feel tired at times and sometimes my pulse is like 48-53...i notice i still get palpitations...and have a strong pulse,actually you can see it in my neck...i seem to feel more of my symtoms at night like 5-bed time...i take my atenolol between 9-11 am everyday...i wonder if i even need it.,i know i ahave anxiety also and the cardiologist said anxiety/palps caused my increase restig heart the two time i went to the ER...why then the atenolol at times, if echo was okay and holter and event recorder were okay...i guess i just have a strong heart beat that i can see and feel in neck and abdomen..had an ultrasound on abdomen to see if there was a aneryseum..nope its good, just see my abdomen move to my heart beat..and im not skinny...i am 5'7 180 and i am 27 yrs old...if anyone has any other imput let me know...o yeah and at times notice a harder time staying Erect, i know that can be one of the side affects...
thanks
Dave

[medking]

Hankstar- since I couldn't post a question, I thought I would comment.  Pls comment on my questions please.  Given that I follow the posts very often, I have a question on PVC's knowing that you suffer from them too.  I have been going great for months now little to no PVC activity.  My question: Out of the blue I get a run of 2-3 in a row then an hour later a get a few isolated one's then they dissappear for a few days again.  My question: can this really be acceptable w/ a normal heart structure? All tests normal just recently my cholesteral readings were in the high normal range but nothing to worry about. Stress, echos done yearly all ok but get this run situation every now and then. It really bothers me and scares me. My cousin is a top cardiac surgeon in Toronto, canada and he continues to laugh at me but I don't think its a laughing matter. Further, my cardio also gets them and he says dont worry either - they are a nuisance but dont freak out when it happens. What do you have to say about this? Doctors anyone ?? Also, I was told to pop a half tablet of 25mg of atenenol should the episodes occur frequently, I hat taking any meds. Thanks/medking

[sampants]

I went to the cardiologist on Thursday.  I had an echo-stress test done.  I also received the results from my 24 hour Holter from the week before.

My doctor said I had very few PVCs or PACs on the Holter.  She said it was a "normal" reading.  She didn't give me any numbers, though, which I would have liked.  She also said my echo-stress was great.  Again, no real stats, just the "all clear."  I was so happy with both things, that I didn't question much.

Anyway...I am now off the Atenolol.  I feel kind of weird.  I think I liked the way it made me feel.  Is that crazy?  I also keep waiting to feel the fish floppng in my chest.  So far, nothing.