resting heart rate goal

[ostrando]

I was recently prescribed a beta blocker to reduce blood pressure and heart rate due to Afib.  When I asked the doctor how low the heart rate should go and told her my resting heart rate in the morning is 45 to 50 and normally 60-65 during the day, she said that was because I exercise.  She never answered the question and I have not started taking the beta blockers.  She prescribed metroprolol at 25 mg a day.

[tom_h]

I agree.  You can stop this at any time without serious side effects.  I had to stop taking it 3 days prior to my electrophysiology procedure.  I questioned the physician about any effects in suddenly stopping it; rebound, etc.  He said there was none.  

[Elli126]

I am also on metoprolol 25 mg twice a day which is the lowest dose. My doctor assured me if I needed to stop I could stop completely without any ill effects. I think the higher doses are what they are we referring to. You may need to wean off them bit by bit.

[ostrando]

Thanks, I did not take it due to all of the potential side effects and was not sure how low my hr would go.  

The directions of the medication said not to suddenly stop taking it since that could cause serious complications.  

[tom_h]

Unless you're doing something that really pushes your respiratory system to the wall on a daily basis, your advancing age may play a role in your resting heart rate.

Try the Metoprolol.  25mg is a very low dose.  I take 75mg per day as a maintenance dose following my cardiac ablation 3 years ago, and to keep my BP looking nice, it's 118/60.  You may find that 25mg has little effect on your rate.  If it adversely affects you, stopping it will quickly eliminate it from your body.  Metoprolol has a short half life of around 5 hours so it is metaboloized rather quickly, and its effect on you will quickly disappear.