Sean, we are all so unique!!! Sure is worth a try!!! It would be lovely if this is the magic bullet !!!!!
Someone else on DS uses Atenolol for PIP and it works for them also.

I used it yrs. ago for a BP med. It did lower my BP..This was before I got afib.

Here's Hoping!

Sean,

For me, Atenolol has been very effective in stopping the afib. I take only 25 mg of Atenolol when an episode is about to start. It stops it within 30 to 45 minutes. However, even before my ablation (last December), if I took Atenolol on a regular basis (like very day), still I would get the afib and to stop it, I had to take another dose of Atenolol. But, the extra dose would drop my blood pressure too low. So, I would take Atenolol only after an episode would start.

Even now, after my ablation, I have noticed I can go to afib after several hours if I eat some of my old triggers (nuts). So, I use Atenolol to stop it. It is very effective, at least for me.

I absolutely believe that the Atenolol really works on your friend and you should try it too. However, if you have normal blood pressure, you should start with only 25 mg rather than 50 mg. You can always increase the dosage if the 25 mg does not work. Please just keep an eye on your blood pressure if you go with 50 mg.

Scott

Good info Scott.
My bp and HR climb usually when I go into afib.....so a Beta Blocker works as a PIP for me to bring down my numbers.
But, it does Not convert me. I can go another 8 hrs. more or less still in afib.

That's very interesting, because I take a beta blocker (coreg) every day for BP. I take the lowest dose, 6.25, 2X day, but it doesn't seem to affect my afib. Recently my PCP thought my BP was up and was thinking of increasing the dosage. I see him in early Dec. But I see the Cardiologist on 11/20, I wonder do these guys know what the other one is doing? Also, Coreg is a non-selective BB, whereas Atenolol is selective. And Coreg has an Alpha blocker as well.

Atenolol did not keep me out of a-fib, only the anti arrhythmic Multaq kept me out of the ER. I gained 3 pounds overnight and had swelling in my legs that was so bothersome that I wore compression stockings all the time. I begged my EP to stop taking atenolol and the water weight was gone as well as the swelling. It's different for everyone - good luck!

Carol -
I guess I am lucky since Atenolol as PIP actually stops my afib. Of course, I remember before my ablation, it would stop it after one hour or so. But now, after ablation, it acts pretty fast. It stops the afib within 30 to 45 minutes. It works the same for some other members too.

Just curious, have you tried higher dose of Atenolol to see if it can stop the afib? 8 hours is a long time to be in afib, ouch :-(

juniebe -
you might want to use low dose Atenolol as PIP to see if it helps with stopping your afib when you get it. It might work and may be your blood pressure will not go too low.

And YES, doctors know what the other one is doing, LOL. They know because you tell them what you are already taking in the infamous drug list :-)

Scott