Re: inderol on a healthy heart

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD - CRC on March 12, 1999 at 09:21:05:

In Reply to: inderol on a healthy heart posted by lynn on March 10, 1999 at 13:05:45:






hi, i am 29yr old female and have always had low blood pressure...i went into the local doctors office (i dont like doctors but i was persuaded to go)about my really bad headaches....this doctor perscribed inderol...i was to take 1 tablet 2 times daily(i think it was 80mg 2 times a day)....thats not the prob....what the prob is while i was taking it i was pretty much comatose i didnt remember if anyone called or anything...my roomate called the doctors office a couple days later and they said that my body would adjust to it give me another couple days....this whole time i could hear and feel my heart beating very hard and i could feel my blood moving through my body......i stopped taking my perscription after about 2 weeks cause i couldnt deal with it any more (i liked my headaches better) now after 6 months my chest still tightends up and when this happens i have a hard time breathing and i can hear and feel my heart and feel the blood going throughmy body..enough so if i touch someone they can feel my pulse in my fingertips....i had gone to another doctor about my headaches and i told him about my chest...he said that there is no way the inderol could have caused what im feeling...i dont believe him anymore....it never happened before and its starting to happen more and more and its starting to last longer and longer..thank you for any info
lynn





Dear Lynn,
Thank you for your question. I too doubt that the symptoms you are having are due to the Inderal.  While you were taking the medication the fatigue, etc. certainly could have been due to the drug but once you stopped taking it the side effects do not linger longer than a few days.  There are other possible causes of your symptoms that should be looked into.  If you are not getting good answers from your doctor you should seek a second opinion.

Here is some additional information about beta blockers.
This class includes the following other medications: generic (brand name), - propranolol (Inderal), atenolol (Tenormin), Labetalol (Normodyne, Trandate), metoprolol (Lopressor), pindolol (Viskin), Nadolol (Corgard), and sotalol (Betapace).  These drugs work by binding to a receptor called the beta receptor.  Once this receptor is blocked the drug exerts its effect in various methods.  The heart rate is slowed, the blood pressure is lowered and heart rhythms are stabilized.  
Beta-blockers are used to treat high blood pressure, angina (chest pain), heart attacks, heart rhythm problems such as atrial fibrillation and more recently heart failure.  
Potential side effects include: >10 % mental depression, tiredness, weakness, dizziness
1-10% Bradycardia (slow heart rate), wheezing, irregular heart beat, reduced peripheral circulation, heartburn
<1% Rash, chest pain, constipation, decreased sexual activity, itching, nausea, vomiting, stomach discomfort, insomnia, heart failure, nightmares, confusion, headache, impotence, cold extremities.
Potential drug interactions include:
Increased effect of beta blockers - amiodarone, cimetidine, diltiazem, nifedipine, nicardipine, verapamil, flecainide, hydralazine, MAO inhibitors, quinidine, ciprofloxacin, propafenone, oral contraeptives, fluoxetine, sertraline.
Decreased effect of beta blockers - NSAIDS, salycylates, barbiturates, rifampin, clonidine.
The dosage and frequency depend upon the individuals metabolism and the drug being used.
There are no substitutes to beta-blockers. There are no drugs to counteract the side effects of beta blockers.
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.
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.