Patient was educated on side effects of using Betapace as follows:
- Betapace can cause rapid heart rate, fluttering in the chest, shortness of breath, dizziness, and episodes of loss of consciousness. Betapace has the potential to cause new arrhythmias or worsen the current arrhythmias, which is referred to as a proarrhythmic effect. So, caution must be exercised to prevent this situation and manage it, in case it were to occur.
- Reduced work performed by the heart can result in reduced blood volume pumped out of heart. This can result in backup of blood in the peripheral and pulmonary circulations. Backup of blood in peripheral circulation can present as edema in extremities with consequent swelling. Backup of blood in pulmonary circulation can result in pulmonary edema and shortness of breath.
- Betapace can also result in bronchoconstriction, which results in reduced airflow and difficulty breathing with exacerbation of asthmatic symptoms and shortness of breath.
