Hello.I’d appreciate some advice. Four years ago I had atrial flutter. I had cardioversion and was put on blood thinners and BP meds. In the last few months it has returned as PAF. My ECG watch goes red every other day for hours or days. It can come on its own or be triggered by exercise. When exercising my HR can jump up and down, or spike alarmingly or shoot up to max without really doing anything. It then goes straight down if I stop. If it shoots up while exerting I can feel it. I don’t have other symptoms as when I had atrial flutter. I feel ok and if I don’t do anything HR stays normal. I am trying to change lifestyle but it has progressed a lot in 3 months.
I am also borderline/high cholesterol (5.7) and am coming up to my next blood test. The nurse said if no improvement then should consider statins. I am a lot more worried about AF as it is progressing and my good cholesterol is very good as is my triglycerides.
I have yet to discuss AF with GP but am thinking about it. I am concerned statins will be proposed for cholesterol and for AF to lower HR. My fear is that I end up feeling worse than I do now and no improvement in racing HR
Any ideas appreciated
Many thanks
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Buttondog
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Don’t take any of the following as medical advice or as a recommendation or suggestion. This is purely my own very limited experience.
My cholesterol was higher than yours, I think 6.8. This was a few years ago. My GP wouldn’t put me on a statin and just said to try losing weight. I was prepared to take a statin but the GP said no.
As well as trying to lose weight I also started taking Red Rice Yeast. This supposedly has the same active ingredient that’s in statins. I took this for 6 months and my cholesterol came down a bit, 6.4 I think. I’ve carried on taking it but recently also started taking Bergamot Extract, which is also supposed to lower bad cholesterol and increase good cholesterol. My GP doesn’t want to test my cholesterol again for another 6 months or so, so I won’t know until then if the reduction has continued or if the Bergamot extract has had any effect.
I should point out that all of this was before being diagnosed with AF. I told the pharmacist what I was taking and she said she wasn’t aware of any interactions with rivaroxaban, which I’m now taking, but couldn’t advise me to continue. However I told her I would continue unless any subsequent blood test showed anything to be concerned about which she seemed happy with. The annoying thing is that she asked if I wanted to go onto a statin and I said yes. But ever since I’ve heard nothing from them or the GP and every time I ask about it, I get told that I’d have to talk to the GP. So I just go round and round in circles. I figure I’ll see what my next cholesterol test says and then insist on a statin if it’s not improved enough.
Statins are a favourite thing for doctors as they get prize points for having the chat with patients but my GP knows my views and has never pushed the subject. It is a shame that they are so considered as it makes it difficult to decide if they really are of any benefit.
That said I have never heard of anybody suggesting that they can in any way reduce AF burden or reduce heart rate. Beta blockers like bisoprolol or calcium channel blockers such as diltiezem yes or rhythm control drugs like fecainide and of course anticoagulants to reduce stroke risk are the usual tools.
I’m with you on the statins Bob. My GP wouldn’t dare to suggest them to me, cos he’d know what he’d get!! I recently read a paper that states there’s a distinct correlation between the introduction of statins in the 1990’s and the increase in dementia. Interesting stuff.
I would do lots more homework re cholesterol level & statins before taking a decision on the latter. I have had a cholesterol level of around 7 and static for 30 years and on AF diagnosis 10 years ago had my arteries checked and all clear; I am a foodie with a very healthy diet. However if you have other comorbidities then statins will probably be advisable.
I would insist on having an echo-cardiogram to check various parameters of your heart. AF can be sporadic or "paroxysmal" and hard to detect. I also had atrial flutter three years ago and it was cured by an ablation, but since then, like you, occasional AF has since started. There is no link between the arrhythmias, by the way, physically.
I am on anti coagulants and have PAF, I am 68. I have no idea what my cholesterol levels are and have mentioned having a test several times, but they just say not necessary. Which seems odd as everyone else I know is on statins !🤷🏼♀️ I don’t particularly want to be on them having said all that, but it seems to buck the trend
It does seem to be inconsistent. Like you I have PAF and I now receive an annual bloodcheck. This was done last week. My cholesterol is low I do not have high BP or diabetes etc, my BMI is 21. My GP has invited me to go on a statin as a means to reduce my risk of stroke and CVD. He referred to a QRisk score. I looked up my score via an online risk calculator and my risk was slightly lower than the average for my age.
To my mind the inference from this is presumably that most people my age should be on statins. Personally I am reluctant to start another drug.
yes and I am too. Like you I have no other known health conditions, the paf is not really bad I can continue my life when in afib and I don’t have a weight problem. I have blood tests every year but for kidney and liver function (don’t think that tests for cholesterol) because of the anticoagulants. Maybe they think that’s enough
5.7 is not particularly high. This is for total cholesterol and the level is affected by your HDL level. If this is good and your triglycerides are good then you should not worry. In the absence of confirmed cardiovascular disease statins have not been shown to benefit anybody but younger middle aged men. They do not benefit elderly men or women. Large epidemiological studies have shown that as we age those with higher cholesterol become less ill . We need it to repair tissues, protect us against cancer and infections. It is essential for our brains. My level is 6.4 and I have every intention of hanging on to it. Suggest you look at Dr Malcolm Kendrick's website for detailed demolishing of the cholesterol / cardiovascular disease hypothesis. There is no reason at all why having afib should lead to a statin prescription.
What is your concern about taking statins?I have taken them for about fifteen years. I've had AF from Paroxysmal to permanent for about twenty seven years. I have other ailments, but lead a normal life.
I started on statins years ago when diagnosed with diabetes, but after a year or so stopped taking them after all the bad press at the time, and my GP actually said he didn't blame me. Then three years ago was diagnosed with AF, and at start of this year GP recommended going back on statins (can't remember specifically why). So I did, and now have the well known side effect of joint pain, particularly thumb joints - and curiously my RLS seems to have gradually come back with a vengeance! Just about to have a blood test and diabetes review , good opportunity to question medical advice (spurred on a bit by starting to watch Painkillers on Netflix, about the lovely Sackler family, opioids and the medical profession - who can you trust nowadays?) Maybe a degree of mixed up and coincidental thinking, but that's where modern life takes you.
hi, I didn't like idea of statins, and GP suggest I try benecol which is supposed to work in bringing down cholesterol, seemed to work for me, other thing is reduce red meat intake that can help.
An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Simplistic, I know, but I endeavoured to pursue this course of action having read that one or two apples a day can have the same affect as statins in lowering bad cholesterol. I was on statins but was starting to experience a lot of joint pain which was making me quite miserable. I told my INR nurse I was giving them up and she didn’t argue with me. This was several years ago. I eat healthily but allow myself occasional treats. My cholesterol levels are textbook.
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