Posted , 2 users are following.
Hi,
I have recently had a stay in hospital as had a bad angina attack, really bad spasms. I'm already taking Diltiazem and Bisoprolol (plus already got gtn spray) and I have been put on Nicorandil 10mg twice daily from the hospital. Anyone any experience with this med?
I am also waiting for a MIBI Scan, has anyone had one?
Many thanks in advance.
xRubyx
0 likes, 6 replies
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samuels RubyRed21
Posted
What strength Ditiazem are you on ? I take Nicorandil 20 Mg twice daily, they helped a lot with the night time spasms, I was originally on 10 Mg's a day but it was bumped up as I was still having problems. Last November I had another Troponin rise and the Cardiologist doing rounds at the time upped my Diltizem medication from 240 Mg a day to 480Mg's a day ( broken into 2 lots at 240 Mg twice daily, that was the one that really helped the most with me, I had a set back earlier in the year due to a sudden cold snap occurring earlier than normal and also the pharmacy messing up my Nicorandil, Spring is here and I'm starting to slowly get back into kilter again, not so many frequent visits to our emergency department.
I had one of those tests years ago, Is this one you just had an exercise test with a dye injected , one for resting then the next one for the exercise and then waited for around 15-45 minutes before being put under an xray (scan) type machine ? My cardiologist calls them SYSMIBI's ( could of been systembi ) but years prior to that I had what I'm sure was called a MIBI where a dye is injected and waited for around 15-30 minutes then put under a scan type machine that rotated around the chest, exactly the same as a stress test but no exercise was involved in this test, they look for all kinds of things, more so blood flow to and from the heart and also gives them a rough indication of any blocked arteries (not gold standard for blocked arteries or even artery spasms)
RubyRed21 samuels
Posted
I'm taking 120mg Diltiazem XL once a day.
Initially I was treated for a heart attack on arrival at hospital this time as when the paramedics came my ecg wasn't right. I was in awful pain and I actually had gas & air in the ambulance. At the hospital heparin and bloods taken, liquid morphine, more gtn etc, more tablets etc, my blood pressure was very low and I was only at heart rate of 42bpm and max 51bpm I expect that was caused by the medication although it's usually really low anyway.
Usual 2 lots of blood tests (6hrs apart) Troponins came back negative. Chest xray was clear.
I'm glad I didn't have to have another angiogram terrible things they are, had bleed from my groin I was very ill when I had one last year, and an echo I had last year even looked at my neck arteries (carotid?) all clear.
Thanks for info on MIBI scan, think that's it, it's non-invasive anyway. Although nothing's ever explained about anything in hospital, I suppose that's my fault because I always forget to ask!!
samuels RubyRed21
Posted
When at rest and no chest pain my heart rate fluctuates the same as yours 40-52 bpm, they tell me it's bradycardia ?
RubyRed21 samuels
Posted
Yes that's it bradycardia, although on some previous investigations I've been tachycardia at rest. I'm wondering if that's to do with sinus rhythms on ecg as previously suggested by one of the paramedics. I don't know whats going on, I expect I'll have a bit of a wait for MIBI scan appointment.
RubyRed21 samuels
Posted
samuels RubyRed21
Posted
No none that I can remember, maybe a slight headache for me but that's about it. I think I get immune to all the nitrates as when I have a severe attack it hardly touches the spasms or pain, Diltiazem is also suppose to help control blood pressure but doesn't seem to keep that in check even ,It has bought it down from what it use to be but I'm still sitting on around 140/80, which is reasonably acceptable (according to my GP) he would like to see it lower, During a spasm attack BP sits any where from 160/90 - 200/90.
Here the GP has to get an authority for my Diltiazem as it's a bigger dose , as a GP can only prescibe the maximum dosage allowed to them, it's only cardiology that is allowed to prescribe larger doses, when first started on the higher dose I had to keep an eye out for swollen legs,ankles and feet, As larger doses of Diltiazem can cause water retention, I thought I had water in the belly as I looked as though I was putting weight on, doctor did a scan to have a look and he said there was some fluid there but nothing to worry about, so perhaps I was gaining some weight.....lol...