Zebeta

[marciejw]

Dr. Fett,

I am currently taking 150 of Toprol and feeling very tired. I am not sure if it is heart related, medication or my Thyroids. I am also having my Thyroids checked. My Cardi suggested that maybe we switch to Zebeta if my thyroids come back normal. Do you know anything about Zebeta?

Thanks,
Marcie

[JAMESFETT]

Zibeta is bisoprolol, and is one of the 3 most effective beta-blockers in heart failure. Those three are: bisoprolol (Zibeta), metoprolol succinate (long acting) (Toprol XL), and carvedilol (Coreg). Carvedilol may have an advantage over the other two in that it has been documented to counteract the undesirable remodeling in heart failure. All 3 have ability to modulate the immune system in a desirable way, and an overactive immune system may play an important role in the development of PPCM. All 3 are effective in the hemodynamic effects. I would use carvedilol as first choice for my own patients, but in Haiti, due to inability to afford it , we have "made-do" with the least expensive beta-blocker, atenolol--and even that was not available in the early years of our focus on PPCM. At the Hospital Albert Schweitzer, we are just beginning to receive donation in quantity of carvedilol, so better days are ahead for our PPCM patients.