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Question:
Could my heart medicine be the cause of my fatigue?
I was diagnosed with CHF and cardiomyopathy in 2006. I also had a stent implanted at the same time. I've been on 50mg Coreg daily along with enalipril 20mg, metformin 2000mg, glipizide er 5.0. I'm also type 2 diabetic with a1C of 6.5. My question is about fatigue. My ejection fraction has been "measured" at upper 20% to as high as 40%. I am so tired I can hardly get out of bed, much less walk or exercise like I used to do. I'm a person who has "burned through the pain" in the past, but I just don't have any energy anymore. Could it be the heart medicine?
submitted by John from New Mexico on 3/2/10
Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiologist, Domingo Gonzalez, MD
Fatigue is a symptom with many causes of which one or more may be responsible for your fatigue. Low ejection fraction of the heart, medications including beta blockers, uncontrolled diabetes all can cause fatigue. Angina from blocked arteries can manifest as fatigue. Patients with cardiac conditions often have undiagnosed depression that shows up as fatigue and no energy or desire to get out of bed. Other things need to be considered as well, i.e., anemia, thyroid dysfunction, kidney dysfunction, valvular abnormalities that can coexist and cause fatigue. It would be best to discuss this issue with your internist, cardiologist, and your endocrinologist.
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Updated March 2010
