Antihistamines and af

[grandadbren1]

I had been having 2 or 3 af attacks a week 4 or 5 weeks ago that I was aware of however I do not seem to have had an attack for the last 2 or 3 weeks and realise that I have been taking antihistamine tablet 4 or 5 times a week due to bunged up nose and sinuses has anyone else had a reduction of af whilst on antihistamine ?

[SRMGrandma Volunteer]

That would definitely be considered a paradoxical result because typically we of the AF world shy away from antihistamines because they can increase the pulse rate and knock us into AF. Glad you are having fewer episodes!

[PeterWh]

Bren

What is your normal HR?

[grandadbren1 in reply to PeterWh]

About 60 usually I have a pacemaker which does not kick in unless hr drops to less than 50 . When In af my he can run at 150 to 160 but also I can go into af with hr 90 just seems to me I have not seemed to be in af last few weeks when I have been taking antihistamines.

[Elaine1951]

Anti histimine lowers my heart rate. How odd. Is there medical evidence to say aHs increase heart rate ?

[grandadbren1 in reply to Elaine1951]

Don't know it just seems for me I have not gone into af whilst taking antihistamines but as we all know af is completely unpredictable and we all hope to try find a solution I just wondered if this happen d to anyone else while taking cetirizine

[Carol70]

I must be a lucky one whose AF is not affected by antihistamines. I take them during the hay fever season as I suffer badly. My PAF is no worse than the winter months.

Best wishes

Carol

[jimmysouthgates]

Anti histamines block certain neuro transmitters that are used in nerve transmission. This ultimately has an effect on cardiac conduction so if anything anti histamines would cause not suppress an arrthymia. Thats how I understand it.

[jimmysouthgates in reply to jimmysouthgates]

Oh and I take bucket loads in summer and not seen an effect on my af. I take, fexofenadine a pom its a massive bullet!

[pip_pip]

What anti histamine do you use. ?

[grandadbren1 in reply to pip_pip]

Cetirizine

[Annekw]

Hi I take Cetirizine,have taken this as it is compatible with my Rheumatoid Disease drugs also for the last 15months my AF meds!

Other options for really bad hay fever over the years have been steroid injections but not really a fan of those!

[KFog]

I've had no trouble with Zyrtec (cetirizine) and Claritin (I can't remember its generic name), but trouble with other over the counter cold medications, which I think have pseudoephedrine in them. I stay away from that stuff!

[Boombiddy]

Hiya Finvola

Just saw this and I would put the question the other way round. I am coming round to thinking that it may not be the antihistamine but the original reaction (for which the antihistamine is the treatment) provoking/exacerbating/irritating AF.

I am trying to formulate a brief justification for my theory such as it is, but can't so far make it brief!

I was trying to answer another post here where (I suspect from my own experience) this is a possible trigger for someone's AF and I saw your post as "related".

I will try to put my reasoning for this out there where it can get critiqued and maybe we can all get our heads together and see if there is a pattern we can identify.

Best wishes from B

[Boombiddy]

grandadbren1 , sorry I replied first to Finvola as I couldn't keep track of who said what (am a bit dozy).

I meant to say, I think your question might be a useful bit of the puzzle for me as I think the mast cell activations I've had this year may have set off AF.

(When I say mast cell activations, these are obviously a reaction to an allergen in most cases, but in some cases (which alas might include mine), mast cell activations can occur for no apparent reason).

I am very glad to see that Cetirizine helped you, as it is Cetirizine I used to help with the reactions this year.

Best wishes from Boombiddy.

[Ren912]

The first time I experienced an AFib attack I had taken a antihistamine. I now avoid them completely.