PVC's

[Skytye]

Does anyone know what the best medicine is for PVC's?I take Atenolol now but it isn't helping anymore.

[PVC man]

Wow, very intresting...I will print this out and I amy ask my cardio when I see him for stress in early Jan....as you guys know, I went from good to poor control with 25mg Atenolol... how much do you guys take of the Sectral?

I recently increased my excercise level so maybe now my HR is too low with Atenolol and that explains  Inc. PVCs?

Anyway, DEFINETLEY something to keep in mind.

Thanks and be well all...

[deedle1976]

I was worried my GP would not want to change me from proranolol to acebutolol, or that it wouldn't be available on the NHS (National health service; we have free healthcare here in th UK).
Luckily there was a locum doctor on that day who asked me what PVCs were. Then said he didn't really know much about arrhythmias and I seemed to know quite alot so he would give me that betablocker if I wanted it although he had never heard of it.

[deedle1976]

Acebutolol differs from most of the other betablockers because it has Intrinsic Sympathomimetic Activity ...

"Intrinsic Sympathomimetic Activity: This is seen in oxprenolol, pindolol, acebutolol and celiprolol. They stimulate, as well as block, adrenergic receptors. They generally cause less bradycardia and impairment of peripheral circulation"

I believe this is the reason it works for me. It reduces the excitablilty/ irritability of the heart without lowering the heart rate ( I get increased PVCs at low heart rates).

[tomah]

I am so angry!  I begged my cardio for acebutolol - but he wouldn't give it to me - he said it was an "older version" of medication - even when I showed him a report that said it reduces PVCs.  I am on Toprol XL but it sure doesn't seem to be working anymore --- I guess I really need to find a cardio that will listen to me.  I would love to hear how many on this board are on this medication, and if ti si helping.

[iamfaithful]

I take metoprolol which is Toporol's generic.  It has made my palps less noticeable.  In the beginning it dropped my hr to the 60's but I think it's lost the effect as my hr is back to normal, in the 70's/80's, which is fine by me because I experience more PVC's when my hr is low also.

Man, now I kind of wich my doctor would have put me on the old beta blocker you all mentioned; but I guess he went with the newer one.  What exactly is the difference between selective and the other?  I read it once but can't remember.

Hope everyone has a PVC free week :-)

[deedle1976]

Celeste explained it very nicely. My doctor had never heard of it and my pharmacy had to order it in as it's an old drug and not commonly prescribed.

[deedle1976]

HI, I take Sectral (acebutolol). Propranolol made mine worse by lowereing my heart rate too much. I did some research and found some studies which showed that acebutolol significantly decreased the frequency of PVCs in most people so I asked my doctor for this (in June.) Well what a miracle I went from hundreds per day to just a few. I had to tweak the dosage to get maximum effect taking half a 200mg capsule twice per day... any higher than this and my heart rate starts to drop which increases the PVCs. Unfortunately I think everyone is different and what works for one person in terms of drugs and dosage may be completely ineffective in another.

[Celeste77]

My Cardiologist/EP likes Sectral (Acebutolol) and 400 mgs. daily of magnesium for PVC's.
Sectral is one of the few beta-blockers that specifically lists it's use in treatment of PVC's and it has repeatedly shown reduction in PVC's and ventricular arrhythmia's in numberous clinical trials.
It's not prescribed that often because it's an older drug (FDA approved in 1984) and for some reason most doctors seem to only prescribe newer drugs. Another positive thing is that it is beta-selective.

It might be worth a try....good luck in whatever you decide!