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 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.
