About Charles Cusumano, FMP, PA-C Expertise I will answer questions about the different causes of Hypertension; the complications; the treatments and the drugs used.Hypertension is a silent, potentially deadly disease that`s completely treatable. Knowledge is power.
Experience Nationally Certified Physician Assistant/Family Medicine Practitioner.
I've been in practice since 1975.
Organizations I am currently serving as an expert in the Family, General and Internal Medicine site right here at AllExperts.com. You can visit my profile there. I was also honored as a Distinguished Fellow in the AAPA.
Awards and Honors Distinguished Fellow American Academy of Physician Assistants
Question QUESTION: About a month ago I had a single episode of arrhythmia and after a day in hospital I have been put on sotalol (40mg twice a day) and 75mg aspirin once a day. I monitor my BP myself now and find that most days I still have arrhythmia for an hour or longer(up to 7 hours) with BP fluctuating wildly, up to 185/115 pulse 60 and down to 115/70 pulse 40 within 30 minutes. Is this to be expected?
I did not have this problem on a regular basis prior to taking the medication - could it be the sotalol causing the problem?
I do not live in the US.
ANSWER: Hi Jack,
Sotalol should not be causing these BP fluctuations. In addition, if you are still having these intermittent arrhythmia’s the Sotalol is not working. You didn’t say if these were ventricular or supraventricular arrhythmia’s. Sotolol is good for ventricular arrhythmia’s but doesn’t work as well for the supraventricular type. It also has no real effect on blood pressure control.
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: I am not sure but I think I have ventricuar arrhythmias. When an arrhythmia occurs, my pulse slows substantially with long irregular gaps between heartbeats. My previous question was prompted by the fact that I had not had arrhythmias on a daily basis prior to the first occurrence. My lowest BP during an arrhythmia has been 105/54 with a pulse of 42. Another probably releant fact is thaat I am 69 years old.
I have an appointment with a cardiac specialist to have an echocardiogram but this is not until the end of June. Do you think it is OK for me to wait until then or should I try to get my medication reviewed sooner?
Answer Hi Jack,
Given the SLOW pulse, Sotolol is not a good drug as it slows pulse even more. Sounds like you might have something called “sick sinus syndrome.” It’s too bad you have to wait till June for the echo as it would be a good idea to get that done as soon as possible. If at all possible, I would try to accelerate the cardiology appointment.
