Natural Alternatives to beta-blockers for Angina

[elcyd]

My mother has just started to suffer from Angina and is taking Apo-diltiaz which is giving her several side effects which she is not happy with.  She also suffers from high anxiety which does not help.  Is there a natural alternative/addition which she take which will help her.  She is 80 years old and has been healthy most of her life.
Cindy

[sick and tired 47]

Hi ! I know you are looking for alternative meds... but I have a heart conditi on (PSVT) and have gone thru a lot of meds before I found one. I tried calcium channel blockers, flecainide, and toperol XL... hated them all. I am now on low dose of atenolol and after the first several weeks in which my BP, pulse were really low they are now better ( more normal).  The atenolol also helped with the anxiety I would get when my heart would take off into tachycardia.  Atenolol is a beta blocker and it is one I can live with..... would love to not be on anything but not an option right now.
I guess I am trying to say is IF you can not find some natural remedies insist on trying different meds.... don't stick with something that doesn't work, or makes your Mum feel bad. In addtition, as deep diver has mentioned- magnesium,COQ10( take early in am, can keep you up at night),vitamin C , vitamin e,.
I am a huge fan of Dr. Ray Sahelian, check out his recommendations on his website under angina. Good luck helping your Mum!!

[elcyd]

Thank you very much deepdiver.  I had no idea what could be the alternative.  I am going back to see my mother in Canada next month so will set up a doctor's appt for her to discuss carnitine.  It could actually help the little dementia she has.

Cindy :-)

[deepdiver]

Some tests have shown that carnitine
supplementation leads to significant improvement in
heart function and tolerance to exercise. Interestingly,
one study found that patients with less severe heart
failure demonstrated significant improvement in
symptoms with carnitine supplementation. However,
it is most likely that the severely impaired patients
also have a greater depletion of the many nutrients
needed by the heart.
Again, in these studies, we see the use of a single
supplement with no consideration of beneficial
nutrient interactions — which we saw with carnitine
and alpha-lipoic acid in brain protection. To get
optimal results, one needs to supply all of the
nutrients the heart requires — including the B
vitamins, vitamins E and C, magnesium, CoQ10 and
taurine.
In treating patients with angina, excellent results
have been reported from a number of placebocontrolled
crossover studies.
Patients taking 2 grams of L-carnitine each day had
better tolerance to exercise and fewer harmful
changes on their ECG than those patients receiving
conventional treatment.
Carnitine and Poor Blood Circulation
There is also evidence that carnitine can improve
circulation in the legs of patients with severe
atherosclerosis of their blood vessels.
When the arteries supplying blood to the legs are
mostly obstructed, walking becomes a painful
experience. The further a person walks, the greater
the pain. This ailment is called claudication.
In one particular study of some 495 patients with
severe claudication, it was found that 2 grams a day
of propionyl-L-carnitine worked better than a placebo
in significantly improving symptoms and allowing
longer walks without pain.
PLEASE!!! CHECK WITH HER DOCTOR FIRST!!!!!