Atenolol and pacemaker

[hope1000]

Has anyone out there had a pacemaker implanted because the beta blocker, in my case atenolol, makes their bp and pulse too low?  Thanks.

[DeltaDawn23]

I was given Toprol XR for Afib and it knocked me out, bp low, heart rate low.  I broke it in half per a nurse's instructions and that helped some, but it still made me extremely dizzy.  I went to another cardiologist and he switched me to Atentolol and said it did not cross the blood brain barrier and thought it would ease the dizziness.  I now take it 1/4 at a time, 1-1/2 25 mg. pills per day, as well as Xanax as needed when I have PAC's or PAT'S, and my adrenaline kicks in and gives me tachacardia.  I keep a close watch on my blood pressure and reduce or increase the dose as needed.  It's working pretty well.  I did have an Afib episode at Christmas 2010 that I had to be hospitalized for, but am 3 months out and doing okay.  No caffeine, not back to exercising yet.  Good luck to you.

[Mom2four85]

Tthat's to be expected with bb's; its a very common side effect... I would question why they didn't change meds before implanting a PM - I think I asked this before...if your HR goes back to normal are they then going to recommend taking it out?

I'm not a doctor just a patient who asked many questions before getting something so invasive such as surgery for a pacemaker because of a side effect for a med.

For instance - I can't take Toprol because it makes my bp go to 70/40 and my hr stay at 40...however, I went through 5 meds and found Inderal which does not lower my bp/hr - but I've had profound bradycardia since I was 9 and a pacemaker was the only option that has helped with my fainting spells.

[hope1000]

My resting heart rate and bp were low normal, hr 60-64, so going on the beta blockers pushed it into the low 50's.

[ksig]

Why are you on atenolol?  As I answered you before, I was on atenolol and a whole boat load of other meds for AFib.  When I went into bradycardia (28 bpm) one day, I was hospitalized and taken off the meds.  A day later, I jumped right back into the AFib.  So back on the meds I went and a pacer implanted in my chest.  
ksig

[Mom2four85]

did you have low bp and low hr before pacemaker implant or only after taking atenolol?