Cardizem Versus Toprol for Heart Palpitations

Heart palpitations may arise for a variety of reasons. In my case, the reason is chronic and the palpitations are incredibly bothersome. Because of this, my doctor prescribed medication to prevent them and both Cardizem and Toprol have been prescribed to me. Which was better and what are these drugs? This is what we will explore here.

Understanding Toprol and Cardizem

Toprol is classified as a beta-blocker and is traditionally prescribed for high blood pressure and chest pain. Cardizem is a calcium channel blocker, but it is also traditionally prescribed for high blood pressure and chest pain.

Taking Care of Palpitations

Both medications were helpful in alleviating my palpitations, but Toprol is superior and is what I take now. Also, my palpitations are not related to high blood pressure. In fact, my blood pressure runs strangely low. I took both of these medications on the basis of an off label use.

Did Either Medication Cause Side Effects?

Toprol did not cause me side effects initially and does not cause me to experience any side effects now. Cardizem did cause some side effects for me, but they were minor and did not persist beyond a few weeks. These included stuffy nose, sour stomach and heartburn.

Precautions with Both Medications

I mentioned above that my blood pressure is strangely low. This has always been the case for me, but taking these medications may cause low blood pressure. If you get low blood pressure, you may start to experience confusion, faintness, sweating, unusual weakness, blurred vision, severe dizziness, lightheadedness and unusual tiredness.

With Cardizem, I was warned to keep a very close eye on my skin. I already have very sensitive skin, but this medication has the potential to cause very serious skin reactions. Symptoms may include blistering, loosening of the skin, itching, red skin lesions (typically with a purple center), sore throat, ulcers, peeling, skin rash, sores, white spots on lips or in mouth. Along with these, patients have also reported unusual tiredness or weakness, cough, chills, muscle or joint pain, and diarrhea.

Toprol may make some people less alert. This means that performing activities such as driving would be dangerous and avoided. It is also not uncommon to experience dizziness, fainting or lightheadedness when rising from a sitting or lying position. If this is an issue, try rising slowly.

I have not personally had an issue with any of the above precautions, but they certainly are worth mentioning because they can be serious.