Atrial Fibrillation (AFib) Support Group

Atrial fibrillation (AF or afib) is an abnormal heart rhythm (cardiac arrhythmia) which involves the two small, upper heart chambers (the atria). Heart beats in a normal heart begin after electricity generated in the atria by the sinoatrial node spread through the heart and cause contraction of the heart muscle and pumping of blood.

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hegel 05/05/2013

I just had a second episode of afib after a four month interval. Happily this time it resolved itself after four hours. The gp I saw at Kaiser gave me Atenolol (after consultation with a cardiologist and reviewing my records) to use "as needed": i.e. if I have another episode. I'm in agreement with this strategy, hoping that my episodes are infrequent or will stop!
Anyway, I backpack into the wilderness and so worry about afib. I was told that this drug will convert me back to normal heart rhythm. I'm going to discuss this further with my regular g.p. but thought that I'd ask for info on this very helpful forum. It would be a great relief if I knew that this drug would reliably convert me, or at least was known to do this in the majority of cases! Thanks in advance for your responses.

yogacat 05/05/2013

I will just share My Experience....I use Metoprolol as needed aka PIP. It is also a Beta Blocker. It brings my Rate down from 140 to 100 within 15 minutes. But, it does not stop my erratic heart beat...afib.

I stay in afib with a lowered Rate for the next 7-15 hrs.

You will have to try it and see how it works for You.

deleted_user 05/05/2013

I had a dr prescribe Metoprolol for me as well daily to prevent a-fib and it did nothing. My new E.P believes that beta blockers do not convert back into normal rhythm...they just lower your rate. I was on a pill in the pocket approach which worked great.. One does of Flecainide and Atenolol and my episode is gone within the hour. I agree with yogacat you can try and see if it works for you. Not all meds work for everyone.

Steve9 05/05/2013

I had the experience as Yogacat and ladybug. That is beta-blockers lower your rate, but do not covert me back to NSR. I just had afib with a pulse of 50. Now, I take Flecainide and Metoprolol ( a relative of Atenolol) prophylacticly with great success. I rarely have afib episodes, but if I do 50 mgs of Flecainide gets me back into NSR in about 15 - 30 minutes

hegel 05/06/2013

Thanks guys for your responses. They all make sense. Just bringing down my heart rate during an episode would be a big help. It seemed too miraculous to think that it would stop the afib as well!

I've started a new thread about another question I have about this drug. Hope that I don't seem obsessive. I'm just trying to get a handle on this stuff.

Thanks again for your help.

marikay234 05/06/2013

The way I understand it, a beta blocker does 2 things. It slows your rate when in a fib....and the slower rate makes it easier for you heart to break out of the a fib and get back into NSR. The beta blocker doesn't actually convert you, just gives your heart a little more opportunity to get itself back into rhythm.

Koetsh 05/08/2013

Hi - I havent been on here for awhile but have found some of these answers very interesting. I have paroxysmal Affib and went into AF on Friday evening - my cardio prescribed Flecainide the slow release one which i started on Monday but it doesn't seem to do anything. I am also on a beta blocker which usually keeps my heart rate down but now it is ok for a while then goes up to 100 or more then down to about 70 and an hour or so later back up again. I am battling this time and if I go to the GP he just says not to worry - my heart rate is fine! I don't know what I should do if it will come back into rhythm on its own and how long it will take - it has been usually 3 days but now 5 days!!!

yogacat 05/08/2013

Hi Koetsh, I wonder why he prescribed long acting, are you to take it everyday or as a PIP?

It seems that folks who take a daily antiarrhythmic take an extra does for PIP when in afib.

It seems to take trial and error to find what will work for us.

I too got variations of rate numbers when I took Metoprolol when I was in afib.

Hoping you convert soon~

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