Toprol and Arrythmias

  I take 50mg. Toprol once a day, (usually in the morning when I wake up).  This medicine was prescribed because I had PAT on occasion.  My questions is ..sometimes I feel a little bit smothered and when I check my pulse it's going abnormally slow..(maybe around 50) and irregular.  The minute that I get up or start moving or do something that raises the rate of my heart the beats seem to even out.  Could this be the effect of the Toprol? If so is this serious? I have been taking beta-blockers for 6 years (Inderal 1st, then Toprol) and am 23 years old. Thank-you.

[CCF CARDIO MD APS]

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Dear Heather,
It does not sound serious, as a matter of fact the irregularity while it is a slow heart rate is probably just some extra beats and not your PAT.   HOWEVER, it is very important that you discuss this with your doctor as s/he will probably want to decide to holter you or not to prove what this irregularity is exactly.  The slow heart rate is expected with such medication that you are on and is of no concern in terms of its slowness unless of course the heart rate gets down in to the low 40