Atorvastatin and afib

[Crumble2]

Is anyone else on Atorvastatin to calm their Afib. If so, do you think it is effective and how long does it take to feel a difference? I was prescribed it 5 days ago, I do not have high cholesterol.

[BobD Volunteer]

How odd. Statins are very good anti inflamatories people tell me but not heard of it as a treatment for AF.

[Hidden]

That’s interesting. Were you started on atorvastatin after coronary surgery, where (I have read) it helps to reduce post op AFib. I’m on Atorvastatin for primary prevention of coronary artery disease, but not told it would also help my AFib. How much are you taking?

Are you in A Fib at the moment? Who prescribed it and where? Are you taking AFib meds and anticoagulants?

Apparently it takes 3 days to reach a steady state level in the blood stream. I don’t know whether that is an indication of how long it would take to work.

[pottypete1]

I am taking Atorvastatin supposedly for high cholesterol. I have never been told it that it helps my AF.

Pete

[LizLancashire]

I too take Atorvastatin for high cholesterol and it hasn't helped my afib. Still have regular episodes.

[Kernowman]

I too was prescribed the statin for cholesterol, which helps to prevent a stroke, as AF, as you know, does increase your chances of a stroke, and if it helps prevent this, I’m happy!

[BrotherThomas]

I also take atorvastatin at 20mg a day. It was prescribed simply because I'm in my 60's and for no specific purpose. it was prescribed before I was diagnosed with AFib and there's been no mention of it having any effect on this condition.

[Auriculaire in reply to BrotherThomas]

Being in your sixties alone is no reason to take a statin. As we age we need our cholesterol. It protects us against infections .

[cuore in reply to BrotherThomas]

To be prescribed a drug for "no specific purpose" is alarming.

[BrotherThomas in reply to cuore]

I have read that there are GP's who believe that being put on a statin is beneficial as we age and it helps to prevent a number of age related conditions because of its anti-inflammatory properties. It certainly seems to be the case in this neck of the woods since everyone I know of a similar age to me is on a statin!

When I was at work, I had a medical every 6 months courtesy of the company I worked for so I know that my cholesterol was perfectly normal and, although tests are much less frequent now, the ones that I have had also show a normal cholesterol.

A similar situation occurs with blood pressure. Since I was tested every 6 months, I know what my normal figures are and they've always been in the top half of normal range for the 30 years or so that I had these medicals. However, despite that history, I've been prescribed amlodipine as a precaution and, yes, it has lowered my blood pressure a bit, but not much. However, since taking it I have to be very careful when I stand up after siting down for a while due to postural hypotension.

My cardiologist also thinks I have hypertension and, I believe that he thinks so because I take amlodipine but he's never seen any BP results on me.

I think that the differences we see are simply down to Dr prejudices and , maybe, area NHS policies that produce the "treatment lotteries" that appear so often in the press.

[cuore in reply to BrotherThomas]

The other side of the coin is that not needed statins can do harm. My cousin's husband was prescribed statins. Although she did not need statins, the same GP put her on them because her husband was taking them. She developed a situation where she could barely walk and was on the list for hip surgery. One day, she forgot to take her statins, and to her surprise felt much better and could somehow walk. So, she stopped taking the statins, could walk well and cancelled her hip surgery which she now did not need. The side effects of the statins had caused this disaster.

Trials relating to a drug or a class of drugs determine the use. Maybe you could ask your GP what trials were done to come to the conclusion that those who don't need statins should be placed on statins simply because of their age. Plus, you might want to read the interaction between CoQ10 and statins.

Many GPs are ill-informed about drugs, their side effects, and the latest trials on drugs. Yet, we may be at the mercy of such a GP simply because he/she has a medical degree. A side effect of amlodipine is an irregular heartbeat. In my case, two weeks after my second ablation, and while taking Amiodarone, my GP doubled my dose of Amlodipine which immediately caused me to go into six days of persistent AF. The increased Amlodipine had caused the irregular heartbeat. It would be beneficial to you if your cardiologist and GP got together on your taking Amlodipine.

I now monitor my own drugs and will not let any clinician play with the drugs I am to take. I do have compliments for GPs who are up-to-date and do solve drug problems; conversely I have a short fuse for the lazy ones.

[3killeens]

I also take it for high cholesterol, very strange I have never heard of it being prescribed for A F!!

[Crumble2]

Thank you for your replies. It's really good of you to take the time to respond.

I'll give you some more background as I'm really interested in your experiences. I have had paroxysmal Afib for over 8 years: diagnosis, started on bispropol 2.5mg, changed diet, increased exercise, cut out alcohol and caffeine. I made the decision to not use anticoagulants at that stage but I carried Fleccanide as a pill in the pocket (never used). Then I went out of rhythm 5 years later, saw the consultant with many tests, and diagnosed as low risk so I stayed with the same routine. 2 years later (last week) I went out of rhythm again for about 12 hours, it switched back on its own again. Then I had a 'heart attack' 12 hours later. The paramedics, A&E and the cardiac unit were fantastic and I came home again 3 days later.

My angiogram was normal (the doctor said my arteries were 'beautiful'), the echocardiogram was normal. The cardiac MRI scan showed a 'small acute, likely embolic myocardial infarction'. Now, the consultant said it was not a heart attack as I would know it but I am to go on cardiac rehab programme. I was put on apixaban 5 mg twice a day, atorvastatin 20mg, and bispropol 2.5mg as before. I queried the statin as I have not got high cholesterol and he said 'let's try to see if we can calm down this AFib', which I'm all in favour of. So I'm trying it.

I try not delve too far into things I don't understand, I will work with the experts because they are experts. so it's a case of wait and see. I've found a few articles where there is a suggestion that statins can help with calming AFib in some cases - links below to two. But I wondered if anyone else is trying this experiment if that is what it is.

academic.oup.com/cardiovasc...

bmccardiovascdisord.biomedc...

[lechef]

I agree with Bob D. I have Long term, permanent AFib but was prescribed Atorvastatin because I had developed CHD. Statins are used to regulate cholesterol levels and/or prevent further atherosclerosis. You are unlikely to feel benefits. You may feel side effects.

[Peileen]

Hi Crumble2 I was prescribed Atorvastatin 20mg last Feb 2020 for paroxysmal AFib and have been fine on it. However, further blood tests for cholesterol and routine ones to check on blood sugar prevention haven't taken place due to Covid 19. I was also given Edoxaban anticoagulant at the same time. I take the repeat prescriptions of them quite happily. AFib can cause clotting and by keeping my weight at 60Kg Only need 30mg whereas at a higher weight it is 60mg dose. A friend's husband refused to take statins because it would prevent him drinking grapefruit juice. He unfortunately died suddenly of a heart attack a year later aged 59. If you find Atorvastatin doesn't agree with you go back to the GP and try something else. Good luck and good health!

[MarkS]

There was a study about 15 years ago where atorvastatin was given to Afibbers and reduced their AF. I discussed this with my cardio and he agreed to try me on it for 3 months. I kept an accurate diary (I had AF for 24 hours every 3 days). The result? No difference at all. It did reduce my CRP a bit. My fats were normal anyway. I haven't heard it being used to treat AF directly since, so I don't think it really works.