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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Discontinuing Atenolol due to poor healing
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Discontinuing Atenolol due to poor healing
by Chickadee of ME, Oct 23, 2003 12:00AM
I've been on 75 mg daily of Atenolol for high blood pressure for about a year. The medication has worked fine with the only side effect being poor circulation to my hands & feet. Within the past month I have had surgery on my foot (excision of a melanoma with a skin graft) and, due to poor circulation, the surgery site is not healing well.
I asked my physician if she would consider changing my medication and she agreed to switch me to a diuretic instead (hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg).The nurse instructed me to stop the Atenolol immediately and start using the diuretic. I asked if I should gradually reduce the dose of Atenolol and she indicated this was not necessary. That makes me nervous as everything I've read concerning Atenolol indicates that you should not abruptly stop using the drug. Is it safe to just stop using Atenolol?
Thanks,
Joline
I asked my physician if she would consider changing my medication and she agreed to switch me to a diuretic instead (hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg).The nurse instructed me to stop the Atenolol immediately and start using the diuretic. I asked if I should gradually reduce the dose of Atenolol and she indicated this was not necessary. That makes me nervous as everything I've read concerning Atenolol indicates that you should not abruptly stop using the drug. Is it safe to just stop using Atenolol?
Thanks,
Joline
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-RCJ, Oct 23, 2003 12:00AM
Joline,
Thanks for the post.
I've not heard of someone having poor healing from taking atenolol, but I suppose it is possible. A more likely reason for poor healing is diabetes, if you have that condition.
If you do not have a history of heart disease, then it is generally fine to stop the atenolol. If, on the other hand, you have a history of coronary artery disease, then stopping the atenolol abruptly might not be the best idea.
One method of tapering the atenolol would be to take half the dose for three days, then stop.
Hope that helps.
Thanks for the post.
I've not heard of someone having poor healing from taking atenolol, but I suppose it is possible. A more likely reason for poor healing is diabetes, if you have that condition.
If you do not have a history of heart disease, then it is generally fine to stop the atenolol. If, on the other hand, you have a history of coronary artery disease, then stopping the atenolol abruptly might not be the best idea.
One method of tapering the atenolol would be to take half the dose for three days, then stop.
Hope that helps.
