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.)

 

[Binkie4]

I am prescribed bisoprolol for OI and also by a cardiologist to help a mitral valve prolapse. The OI isn't improving but the heart valve was stable at the last examination.

 

[Arnie Pye]

I take Bisoprolol 2.5mg per day, to stop my heart from going too fast. I have tachycardia. It doesn't cause me any side effects nowadays but I had to build up to the full prescribed dose over quite a long period of time because otherwise it would slow my heart down by too much for me to tolerate, and would also lower my blood pressure too much to tolerate as well.

 

[CorAnd]

@Arnie Pye I am sensitive to meds, so I plan to star low as well. The 1,25 mg pills cannot be broken into two (they don’t have a middle line), so I’m gonna have to use a pill cutter.

 

[CorAnd]

The OI isn't improving but the heart valve was stable at the last examination.

I am sorry it hasn’t improved your OI, but good to hear it helped your heart valve.

 

[CorAnd]

One theory is that excessive heart rates don't allow the heart to fill properly and so cardiac output is reduced.

Thank you for explaining this theory and for the links.

 

[CorAnd]

It brings down my excessive heart rate on standing. I find it helpful and doesn't appear to cause me any side effects

I did a short tilt table test 3 yers ago and I didn’t have POTS at the time. But I don’t know what the results would be today after years in bed. I’m glad you find the medication helpful.