Bisoprolol

[CorAnd]

My doctor prescribed me Bisoprolol 1,25 mg for orthostatic intolerance. I have no problems with my blood pressure, no palpitations and no other issues with my heart. I’m bedbound 95% (I manage to walk to bathroom and fetch food from the kitchen on good days).

Does anyone know why Bisoprolol could help with orthostartic intolerance? I don’t understand how a beta blocker would help me be upright.

Is anyone else with severe ME/CFS on it?

Any experiences are greatly appreciated. Thank you.

 

[Kiristar]

I'm on it but not bedbound. I have POTS or OI symptoms. It brings down my excessive heart rate on standing. I find it helpful and doesn't appear to cause me any side effects.

 

[InitialConditions]

There's reasonably good evidence that propranolol improves symptoms of POTS, e.g., https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.108.846501, but I'm not sure its fully understood why. One theory is that excessive heart rates don't allow the heart to fill properly and so cardiac output is reduced.

I have found propranolol helpful since developing OI. Bisoprolol is a more selective beta blocker, working only on the heart.

 

[InitialConditions]

This paper suggests that bisoprolol has similar efficacy as propranolol for PoTS: https://www.neurotherapeuticsjournal.org/article/S1878-7479(23)01061-9/fulltext

(I realise not all OI is PoTS.)