Will sotalol lower blood pressure?
Sotalol (Betapace) can lower your heart rate or blood pressure by too much. This is more likely to happen when you first start sotalol (Betapace) or when the dose is raised. Make sure to stay well-hydrated. Your provider might ask you to check your heart rate and blood pressure regularly when you’re at home. Heart Rate Changes. Sotalol can make your heart beat slower than normal (bradycardia). Call your healthcare provider right away if you have any of the following symptoms of bradycardia. Low Blood Pressure (Hypotension). Sotalol may cause low blood pressure.There are some medicines that may affect the way sotalol works. Tell your doctor if you’re taking any other medicines, including: medicines that can cause abnormal heart rhythms – these include some antibiotics, like clarithromycin and erythromycin, and some antidepressants, like citalopram and amitriptyline.You should not use sotalol if you have asthma, low potassium, or a serious heart condition such as severe heart failure, long QT syndrome, slow heartbeats that have caused you to faint, sick sinus syndrome or AV block (unless you have a pacemaker).Common side effects of sotalol include bradycardia, hypotension, fatigue, dizziness, depression, memory loss, impotence, cold limbs and, less commonly, severe hypotension, heart failure and bronchospasm.
How much does sotalol lower your heart rate?
After oral administration to normotensive humans, sotalol (plasma concentration range approximately 0. L−1) generally produces bradycardia while having little to no effects on blood pressure; an approximately 40% reduction in exercise heart rate occurred at a mean plasma concentration of 5 μg mL−1 (Antonaccio . This study demonstrates that sotalol (160 mg/day) and bisoprolol (5 mg/day) are equally effective in maintaining sinus rhythm. Because of the side effects of sotalol, bisoprolol seems to be advantageous for maintenance of sinus rhythm after cardioversion of atrial fibrillation.There appears to be a lack of treatment differences between sotalol and bisoprolol in regard to efficacy; however, the risk of QT prolongation may be higher with the use of sotalol.Sotalol may cause heart failure in some patients. Check with your doctor right away if you are having chest pain or discomfort, dilated neck veins, extreme fatigue, irregular breathing, an irregular heartbeat, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, or weight gain.With appropriate monitoring, especially at the time of initiation, sotalol can be a safe and effective medication to treat atrial arrhythmias. Unfortunately, owing to its proarrhythmia risk, sotalol initiation typically requires a 3-day hospitalization to monitor for significant QT lengthening or arrhythmias.Sotalol is a safe and effective agent for control of heart rate in digitalized patients with atrial fibrillation. Sotalol is superior to metoprolol at submaximal exercise, resulting in better rate control during daily activities.
Is sotalol a good heart medicine?
Sotalol is used to a treat life-threatening heart rhythm problem called ventricular arrhythmia. It is also used to treat heart rhythm problems called atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Sotalol is a beta-blocker. It works by affecting the response to nerve impulses in certain parts of the body, like the heart. Sotalol is used to a treat life-threatening heart rhythm problem called ventricular arrhythmia. It is also used to treat heart rhythm problems called atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter. Sotalol is a beta-blocker. It works by affecting the response to nerve impulses in certain parts of the body, like the heart.Sotalol may cause heart failure in some patients. Check with your doctor right away if you are having chest pain or discomfort, dilated neck veins, extreme fatigue, irregular breathing, an irregular heartbeat, swelling of the face, fingers, feet, or lower legs, or weight gain.Sotalol (Betapace) can affect your heart rhythm, which can lead to serious and life-threatening problems like QT prolongation. To lower your risk, your provider might periodically check your heart and perform electrocardiograms (EKGs) to make sure your heart rhythm is normal.A small number of pregnant women taking sotalol have been studied, with no concerns raised that its use causes harm. Sotalol belongs to a family of medicines called beta blockers. There are no concerns that beta blockers cause birth defects, stillbirth or preterm birth.
What to avoid while taking sotalol?
Drinking alcohol can increase the risk of side effects with sotalol. It can make you feel dizzy or lightheaded. During the first few days of taking sotalol or after an increase in your dose, it’s best to stop drinking alcohol until you see how the medicine affects you. The tablets should be swallowed whole. Sotalol hydrochloride should be taken preferably 1-2 hours before meals. Sotalol hydrochloride should not be taken with meals since absorption of the active ingredient can be affected by the simultaneous ingestion of food (in particular, milk and dairy products).You’ll usually take sotalol once or twice a day. Your doctor may advise you to take your first dose before bedtime, because it can make you feel dizzy. After the first dose, if you do not feel dizzy, you can take sotalol in the morning. If you take sotalol twice a day, try to take it in the morning and in the evening.
Is sotalol stronger than metoprolol?
Sotalol is superior to metoprolol at submaximal exercise, resulting in better rate control during daily activities. Key Words: Chronic atrial fibrillation, sotalol, metoprolol, exercise, Holter monitoring. The most effective dosage for preventing atrial fibrillation is 120 mg twice daily, depending on renal function. Hepatic impairment: No alteration in the clearance of sotalol is apparent in patients with hepatic impairment.
Does sotalol affect your sleep?
Beta-blockers: Propranolol (Inderal), nadolol (CorGard), pindolol (Visken), labetalol (Normodyne), penbutolol (Levatol), sotalol (Betapace) and carvedilol (Coreg) are all considered nonselective for the heart and can lead to more associated sleep disturbances. In recent guidelines for managing heart failure, it is recommend that all patients receive treatment with 1 of the 3 beta blockers shown to reduce mortality: bisoprolol fumarate, carvedilol, or metoprolol succinate. For patients with HFrEF and certain comorbidities, carvedilol or nebivolol may be preferred.Specifically, the beta-blockers bisoprolol, carvedilol, and metoprolol succinate are the agents chosen. Metoprolol tartrate is not indicated for heart failure and is instead used for other conditions, such as atrial fibrillation.
What happens when you stop taking sotalol?
Suddenly stopping sotalol can lead to worse chest pain, heart rhythm problems, or even heart attacks. When you stop taking this medication, you’ll need to be closely monitored and consider using an alternative beta-blocker, especially if you have coronary artery disease. How long to take it for. Usually, treatment with sotalol is long term, even for the rest of your life. Talk to your doctor if you want to stop taking it. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse.If you suddenly stop taking sotalol, you may experience serious heart problems such as angina (chest pain) or heart attack. Your doctor will probably want to decrease your dose gradually over 1 to 2 weeks. Your doctor will watch you carefully and will probably tell you to avoid physical activity during this time.Usually, treatment with sotalol is long term, even for the rest of your life. Talk to your doctor if you want to stop taking it. Stopping suddenly may make your condition worse.