Re: Bradycardia and Beta Blockers

Posted By John Paravantis on May 09, 1999 at 17:32:36
Thanks for this wonderful site.  A few months ago, I was fortunate enough to receive a detailed reply to a PVC related message and it greatly put my mind at ease.  I have since found that most of my PVCs are stress-induced; I have also found (and I am quite happy about it) that over 60% of healthy adults show some PVCs in a 24-hour Holter moniroting.
Here ensues my present question.  I am currently 39 years of age and was on Inderal for about a couple of years around 18 years old.  Before that time (in my teen years), I was told that I had a "natural" sinus fast heart rate and had on a couple of occasions registered slightly elevated blood pressure (i.e. 140/90).  After 2 years on Inderal, I stopped taking it and have never been on any medication since.  From time to time, I had been aware, but noticed it only lately as I perused my Holter results (all normal with 250 PVCs), of the fact that I have a rather slow pulse rate, i.e. it may fall to 50+ at quite spells during the day.  When I exercice or simple get excited, my heart rate does respond reaching e.g. about 150 when biking.  Yet, when I have a really relaxed weekend, I have caught my heart rate being 50-55 (49 once), and my Holter showed that it actually fell to 40-43 while sleeping!  I should mention that a stress-test and an echocardiogram came back normal except that the echo verified that I have a mild mitral valve prolapse without regurgitation.
I should mention that I am never symptomatic, (in fact my pulse is low when I am relaxed so I usually feel wonderfull).  Because of the PVCs, I have totally cut off caffeine (including decaff and Coke) and take some Omega-3 salmon oil tablets which, if nothing else, act as placebo!  I should also mention that for many years now have also greatly lowered salt to reduce my risk of hypertension which plagues my mother.  Although I eat absolutely no additional salt, I eat a bit of everything and, following the advice given to me by MedHelp in my previous message, exercice 2 or 3 times a week (biking).
To recap, I which to know whether it sounds like I should be concerned about my oftentimes slow heart rate.  Is 43 bpm while sleeping normal?  Could my use of Inderal for 2 years have permanently slowed down my heart (it did, the question is whether there is a causal association)?  Should I be concerned about the future?
Do allow me to express my gratitude for your site once more.

[Karen__0__0]

Posted By Karen on May 16, 1999 at 15:30:26
John~
Don't worry.  My normal daily-activity heart rate is about 45 and when I
sleep it stays down near 31.  When  I run it does get up into the 160's.
but as SOON as I stop running it drops back into the 50's.  Bradycardia can
be caused by being in good shape, but the doctor said since my rate drops
so quickly it's probably (for me) caused by a problem with the electrical
conduction.  Which is expected, there's a history of heart stuff in my
family.    I do experience symptoms - fatigue, dizziness etc. but since I'm
only 28, and the only treatment for bradycardia is a pacemaker, we're not
going to go that route.  Low heart rates are normal though, especially if
you exercise.    










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