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What Causes High Heart Rate When Taking Atenolol For Sinus Tachycardia?
Question: I have hypertension and mild diabetes. I have sinus tachycardia being treated with atenolol. If I miss a dose of atenolol my heart rate sky rockets. What is causing the sinus tach and what does this mean long term.
Brief Answer:
Such episodes have to be avoided in the long-term.
Detailed Answer:
Hi Mam
I understand your query and concern.
Atenelol belongs to beta blocker group of drugs.
They have intrinsic feature of slowing the heart rate because of their sympatholytic activity.
Sudden withdrawal of the drug/missing a dose will cause rebound increase in your heart rate due to lack of inhibitory activity of the drug.
This sinus tachycardia is due inherent rhythm disturbance of the cardiac conduction pace maker tissue.
Its very important to avoid such episodes on the long-term, since they have deleterious effects on cardiac pumping function.
Such episodes have to avoid at all cost in your case, since you are a diabetic and hypertensive and all such patients tend to have some degree of cardiac dysfunction.
Post your further queries, if any.
Thank you.
Such episodes have to be avoided in the long-term.
Detailed Answer:
Hi Mam
I understand your query and concern.
Atenelol belongs to beta blocker group of drugs.
They have intrinsic feature of slowing the heart rate because of their sympatholytic activity.
Sudden withdrawal of the drug/missing a dose will cause rebound increase in your heart rate due to lack of inhibitory activity of the drug.
This sinus tachycardia is due inherent rhythm disturbance of the cardiac conduction pace maker tissue.
Its very important to avoid such episodes on the long-term, since they have deleterious effects on cardiac pumping function.
Such episodes have to avoid at all cost in your case, since you are a diabetic and hypertensive and all such patients tend to have some degree of cardiac dysfunction.
Post your further queries, if any.
Thank you.
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
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