Afib: Rhythm or rate control
Ask the doctor
I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and my cardiologist prescribed metoprolol [Lopressor], which I understand is also used to treat angina. But I rarely have any chest pain. I was wondering if I should instead be getting another kind of medication to treat my condition?Treatment for afib varies from one person to another and depends on your symptoms as well as your age and any other health conditions you may have. There are two main approaches to manage the chaotic heartbeats that characterize afib. One is rate control, which slows down the heart rate using medications such as beta blockers (metoprolol is a common example). The other is rhythm control, which uses anti-arrhythmic drugs such as dofetilide (Tikosyn) or flecainide (Tambocor). They help restore and maintain a steady heart rhythm.
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