Usage of beta-blockers for someone with severe allergies?

2 weeks ago, I found out that I have Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and had been prescribed with beta-blockers &antiarrhythmic drug. I never know that this medication can block the action of epinephrine until I went into anaphylaxis shock 5 days ago, and the epipen wasn't able to help me at all. I was hospitalised for 3 days and the doctor told me to talk to the cardiologist about changing the drug. However, when I spoke to him, he just said that I won't have so many allergy reactions in my life and it is something that I can control by being cautious. He said that I should stick to beta-blockers since it is a safe and the best drug to control cardiac arrhythmia. I tried to explain to him that I'm living with friends who don't really understand about allergies in college and most of the time, the reactions that I have are not because I'm not cautious w/ the things I eat or get in contact with, but because of people surrounding me. Still, he still didn't change his decision. Any advice?

Hi.

There are five types of anti-arrhythmic drugs. Class 2 is beta-blockers, which you are taking. However, there are also:
Sodium Channel Blockers
Potassium Channel Blockers
Calcium Channel Blockers
'Other'

So, maybe some of these could help treat some of your arrythmia, without effecting epinephrine up take. What a bugger you have both Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome and allergies!

Well, these are some of the other drugs which might work:
quinidine, lignocaine, amiodaxone, sotalol, verapamil, diltiazem, digoxin and adenosine.

All of these are used in the treatment of arrhythmias, and I think verapamil and diltiazem are particularly useful in your case - they work on the action potential of the SA and AV node, which would surely help.

Anyway, speak to your doctor - beta blockers are likely to be most effective, but if there is an inherent danger of death, maybe he could use some Ca2+/Na+/K+ channel blockers instead.

Hope this helps, email me how it goes will you?

Ashley

First: If you have WPW it can be cured with a procedure called an ablation. After the ablation no more medications are needed. If you need BB to control your heart rates from WPW an ablation is a very good option to look into and one that is done all over the country every day.

Second: BB are well known to interfere with treatment of anaphylactic reactions with Epi. Other drugs can be used to help control heart rates that do not have the same properties.

Third: Get a second opinion is you are not comfortable.

If you would like to get rid of the WPW see a cardiologist who specializes in arrythmias called an electrophysiologist (any major medical or cardiac center should have a few).