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Does Atenolol Help Reduce Anxiety?
Question: Does atenolol help anxiety?Ive developed some tachycardia heart rate 90-110 after i was given an overdose of manganese (140mg) as a supplement by my chiropractor. Im always checking my pulse now and doctors have assured me there is nothing wrong with my heart after 5 normal EKG in the past month and a normal Echocardiogram. Problem is the day I took the Manganese (to help with backpain according to the chiropractor) i ended up in the ER with a heart rate of 170. My nervous system according to the docs was "thrown off" so everytime after that my heart decides to race its because of my anxiety and nervous system. Im tired of always feeling like im on the edge and checking my heart rate 24/7. I was put on buspirone by my primary doctor and he told me to stop the atenolol (25mg) a day. I did that for like 4 days but found my heart racing again so i am back on it. What should i do?Stay with the atenolol for a few weeks and go from there?Please give me a good thorough answer.
Brief Answer:
you should take anti anxiety treatment
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Your EKG and ECHO are normal - then its anxiety only which increase the heart rate.
Atenolol can help but its temporary and when you quit the drug ( if anxiety is still there the heart will race again). So, the target should be to treat or manage anxiety in a proper and long lasting way.
Your problem is acute in origin as it developed after taking manganese (query dosent talk anything about any previous anxious nature, or that you are the one who takes things seriously or that you get irritated fast or any other stressor which could have been chronic), this in turns points to a good prognosis and long term treatment with anti anxiety medicines should not be needed.
I think intead of atenolol you should take etizolam 0.5mg in morning and afternoon and along with this paroxetine 12.5mg after dinner.
if there are gastric symptoms- rabeprazole 20mg empty stomach in morning for a week will help a lot.
We consider pulse rate of 60-90 per min. to be the normal range , and in anxiety states it can even go beyond 160/min..but without any consequence to heart.
Please dont worry, start proper medication, as if this remains untreated for some more time then it can disturb neuronal process unnecessarily.
I hope the reply helps you. Please ask if there are any more concerns or clarification.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
you should take anti anxiety treatment
Detailed Answer:
Hello,
Your EKG and ECHO are normal - then its anxiety only which increase the heart rate.
Atenolol can help but its temporary and when you quit the drug ( if anxiety is still there the heart will race again). So, the target should be to treat or manage anxiety in a proper and long lasting way.
Your problem is acute in origin as it developed after taking manganese (query dosent talk anything about any previous anxious nature, or that you are the one who takes things seriously or that you get irritated fast or any other stressor which could have been chronic), this in turns points to a good prognosis and long term treatment with anti anxiety medicines should not be needed.
I think intead of atenolol you should take etizolam 0.5mg in morning and afternoon and along with this paroxetine 12.5mg after dinner.
if there are gastric symptoms- rabeprazole 20mg empty stomach in morning for a week will help a lot.
We consider pulse rate of 60-90 per min. to be the normal range , and in anxiety states it can even go beyond 160/min..but without any consequence to heart.
Please dont worry, start proper medication, as if this remains untreated for some more time then it can disturb neuronal process unnecessarily.
I hope the reply helps you. Please ask if there are any more concerns or clarification.
Dr. Manisha Gopal
MD Neuropsychiatry
Note: For further guidance on mental health, Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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