hi, I’m interested to hear any possible causes of arrhythmia that have been suggested to you by professionals. Or preventative measures.
Causes of Arrythmia: hi, I’m... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Causes of Arrythmia
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JillyBeau
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BobDVolunteer
Other than ibruprofen no. You have AF you will get AF.
My increased HR episodes have triggers.
Sorry, I typed this answer to the wrong person.
You don't know that.
Sorry, I typed this answer to the wrong person.
Is the post for me? If so, some of my triggers take less than half an hour to affect me. I’ve done a LOT of testing.
No, it's not for you. Very sorry. I was typing and didn't finish a sentence and I accidentally sent it to you. Sorry again.
No worries.
I think many of us are more susceptible to arrhythmias than other people and our hearts react to 'triggers'.
For me, triggers are NSAID's (ibuprofen mainly), stress and worry which AF made worse, which made the stress and worry worse. Diet - alcohol - even a small glass of wine, artificial sweeteners. Certain junk foods - Pringle crisps, oven chips and the like.
Until I had AF, none of the above caused me any problems but I'm not sure which came first, the trigger or the arrhythmia - possibly ibuprofen was the original culprit.
That’s interesting. Aspirin and other NSAID are derived from salicylic acid. I have to avoid most fruit and veg due to their high levels of salicylic acid. Lists are available online. Potatoes are high in oxalates, something else I avoid but also crisps/frozen potatoes often have msg and/or sulphites added to them, msg is a stimulant. Alcohol and caffeine are common triggers too. Anxiety, yes, if I wake to a fast heartbeat, adrenaline just kicks in and makes it much worse.
In my case my AF was due to OHS for an aortic valve replacement many years ago and I suffered AF on and off ever since.
when I had my cardiac arrest the defib shocks brought me back but into AFib not NSR. I had an emergency stent but remained in AFib until a cardio version 3 months later. I now have bits of PAF, SVT, and NSVT. The cardiologist has said this is caused by damaged heart muscle in the areas the electrical signals travel. It’s left me with some anxiety which the EP said isn’t the cause of my arrhythmias but can agravate what I’ve already got.
Pretty sure mental stress on a over sensitive/over sized Vagus Nerve is a principal trigger but I suspect Hell will freeze over before my cardiologist would agree 😂.
I have asked the same - and got a similar response. The reason it isn't the vagus, I was told (and that is a rare cause, I was also told) is that that large nerve innervates many organs so symptoms of vagal injury, irritation, compression or problems would show in a wide and varied manner; also, the result would be severe bradycardia, rather than tachycardia AF.
That all sounded reasonable - and he is a teacher at a large medical school. He said he was surprised that the internet and social media had this fascination with the vagus nerve and that it was, in general, without any scientific basis as much else on the internet can be.
Steve
I am not qualified to go up against a medical teacher but what I know is that a cold drink and mental stress have both caused my AF in the past and if not the Vagus Nerve what else could have done that. After years of reading this Forum no other explanation has engaged me.
That's interesting since both my GP and I used to think that my arrhythmia was because I have a small hiatus hernia and that that was somehow pressing on the vagus nerve as they both passed through the diaphragm.
The specialist I much later saw, however, assured me that that was not the case and that my scans showed no such thing. Even if they had, he explained, I would have very different and far more wide ranging symptoms. He did say that very large HHs have been shown rarely to cause AF but by direct compression of the heart, rather than pressing on the vagal trunk (which is what runs through the diaphragm alongside the oesophagus). I've found one or two reports of this online.
When I first suffered with heavy ectopic beats and chest discomfort, forty years ago, a specialist I saw showed me an X-ray of my chest which showed my stomach pushing my left-side diaphragm right up against the base of my heart. He said this can happen naturally from anatomy, body positions, when the stomach moves during digestion, or when it is bloated or even with constipation and gassiness - and that I wasn't to worry at all.
With your symptoms, I wouldn't have come to the same conclusion. Mental stress, I thought, causes an adrenergic response (i.e., rather than cholinergic or vagal) and that is an accepted cause of AF.
It's interesting that you mention yours starting after drinking. When I was in hospital with atrial flutter and wired up to an ECG, I had a drink while the nurse was looking over me. She started and told me to look at the monitor. The gulp of drink I'd taken had caused a heavy ectopic beat to occur. She explained that these ectopic beats can set off AF (or AFl in my case) and occur because the oesophagus in some people lies pressed against the atrium. I wonder whether your AF isn't similarly caused?
Steve
Why, then, does a minimaze that ablates the ganglionic plexi on the outside of the heart which is part of the vagus nerve have an average 93% success rate in Stopping AFib long term, longer than a catheter ablation. I’m not a doctor but I can only go on other patients experience.
I can't answer except from what I have read and that is that ablation of the GP is effective as an adjunct to PV isolation but the way it works is not fully understood. It is also known that the GP contains both adrenergic and cholinergic nerve fibres (and others).
I find myself seeing the sense behind what the specialist I saw explained regarding the mechanical rather than "vagal irritation" aspects of AF, i.e. that it's caused by the physical nearness of the stomach and oesophagus to the heart as a cause of ectopic beats > AF.
There seems to be so much still unknown about AF. I was reading recently that even the mode of action of beta-blockers work isn't fully understood.
Steve
EP said to me (age 67) "No idea why you have AF.. so we call it 'Lone AF' ''
"you have normal weight, normal blood sugar and normal blood pressure.....those parameters often associated with AF.....so it's not those"
"You are ex military though so I'd suggest that in the past you did a great deal of exercise and drank a lot of alcohol and coffee'....so that may be it."
(I wasn't sure how to take that last statement of his.......but he was right about a history of exercise, alcohol and coffee!)
Yes, i did a stupid amount of drinking Alcohol messes with all our organs eventually.
After 3 years of AF, ( 2 years in constant AF) then 3 ablations, Ive now been in NSR for 3 years. (just a couple of 30 minute AF blips when I had covid)
Caffeine had an immediate effect on my heart after the ablations and I've given it up completely. I found alcohol in small measures was quite relaxing and gave no heart effect, so couple of glasses of red wine about twice a month now, when socialising.
It's very encouraging to read that you've had 3 years of NSR after 2 years of constant AF, and you're older than I am. I'm probably at about a year of persistent AF right now, waiting for the next step in treatment.
Like you, when I was diagnosed with lone AF at 48, there was no obvious reason: normal weight, normal blood sugar + BP, lifelong non-smoker -- minus the military background, extreme exercise, and heavy intake of caffeine and alcohol. It annoys me when people assume I have AF because of being overweight or unfit. (I am now, 12 years later, but this is a very recent change.)
I was told excessive alcohol (I am not an alcoholic but did like my wine every night), caused my lone AF. Gave up completely when diagnosed in 2020 but the damage had already been done
Yes, I used to have occasional problems with alcohol and gave up 3 years ago. My problems are recent but damage combined with age catches up with us, maybe.
A Vitamin D deficiency (22 nmol/L) was discovered at the same time as my pAF diagnosis, so obviously I connect arrhythmias (along with a host of other medical conditions) with Vitamin D deficiency. And research agrees if you check online.
I give details at the end of my Bio (just click on my photo) of how supplementing with Vitamin D to achieve at least 100nmol/L has affected (reduced) my pAF.
I could find no trigger for my AF. Though others at my clinic found white wine to be a trigger - not red wine, beer or spirits and another gentleman used to treat himself to a capuccino every Friday morning break time and by lunch time would be in AF. I had gone caffeine free decades before my AF diagnosis and also cut right down on alcohol intake at the same time though I had never drunk a lot anyway - I maybe had a couple of half glasses a week due to bladder problems and medication I was taking so unlikely to be that. Had always eaten healthily. I took all sorts of painkillers for years and years and this was the worst part of my AF diagnosis as I had to come off them. Though that may in fact have been a good thing for me. I was and am not overweight, exercise regularly do not stress myself about anything but I still got AF. Both my parents had heart problems so maybe this was something that was passed down genetically and manifested itself as AF in me I don't know? So no triggers that I can identify. I was an athlete and did have a short course - 9 months Hormone Treatment for Prostate Cancer which can also bring on AF apparently. I don't really think that there was just one cause but a mix that over the decades got together and gifted me AF. I know plenty of people who drink more, eat more bad stuff, and have had all these things and done all these things and don't have AF.
hi. I have always had high blood pressure and been overweight and I worry a lot. Stress definitely makes it worse but I put mine down to an unhealthy lifestyle which to be honest I haven't been able to change - I'm now 69! although I now do exercise more - swimming and moderate walking and I do watch my weight. I think anxiety is a major factor with me but I don't think my cardiologist would totally agree. He just told me to keep working on my weight and doing gentle exercise. By the way I was diagnosed lying on an operating table waiting for a procedure on my big toe!! The consultant said he couldn't go ahead as my heart rate was 160!! This hadn't shown up at all in the pre-med. Anyway I was wheeled back to the ward, got another ECG and hey presto: AF! The doctor said he was sorry about the cancelled op but it was better that they had picked up the AF as many people don't know they've got it.
I still haven't got my toe done - the arthritis is a bit better now that I have lost weight!! I don't think many of us know why we've got it.
It seems to be quite common for people to go into AF during any kind of surgery, possibly due to the horse-dose of drugs you are given for sedation/numbing/painkillers. I was also diagnosed during a minor op, totally unrelated to anything cardiac. They went ahead with the op but told me to follow up with my GP about the fibrillation, and gave me a print-out of the ECG. This was very useful because for several years I had had fleeting symptoms which were never present when I went to A&E with sudden breathlessness/dizziness/pounding heart. I was sent away several times with the suggestion that I get anti-anxiety meds. I knew it was physical, not psychosomatic. Eventually I got proof.
I have AF on the odd occasion, but I also have other arrhythmias. Mine is a genetic condition which affects electrical conduction.
hi- Interesting to hear you also got diagnosed in hospital during an operation. It was a real shock because I had psyched myself up to getting the toe done but I am glad that they found the AF. Keep well!
I think you meant to respond to the OP.
Yes, I did , sorry!
Years ago, and I do mean years ago. My GP told me that when I had palpitations, to simply not dwell on them. It took some time to realize why he said that. The more you worry about it, the more often it will happen! I have had Afib for thirteen years, and possibly longer than that. I have had palps all my life, that I can remember. It is just something, some of us have. Like others have said, there are triggers. You need to learn what yours are. I know mine are anger, and worry! I ruled out Caffeine some time ago, when I started drinking Coffee and eating Chocolate again. With Chocolate I use moderation. Coffee and Tea I no longer worry about, as they have never set off any Afib. I do notice if I am very angry such as with the US political situation, or if I start worrying about something. I get palps. I have also noticed that watching movies, that hit me emotionally, sometimes set them off. However most of the time, I simply ignore it, and it stops.
It was most likely steroid injections in my case that triggered me into rapid persistent AF, and there is research that associates recent high doses of steroids with an increased risk of getting AF. Also non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen.
Second time round 4 1/2 years later, it was possibly my second Pfizer Covid vaccine, dehydration, or eating ultra-processed food the day before, or some combination of all three.
My first cardioversion kept me in normal rhythm for 3 1/2 years, and I'm now 6 weeks back on NSR after a second cardio.
Any shock or trauma. Also stress, alcohol and artificial additives in food.
Mine is an electrolyte imbalance which triggers a migraine and then vomiting which then has set off an undeniable bout of afib. One EP said I had an athelete’s heart. I can drink strong coffee with no problems but I believe sensitivity to sulohites in wine caused the rogue pathways to be formed in the heart I have often had an unsettled heart after drinking wine. Also I believe there is a genetic link
Wine is also high in salicylates and amines. Amines are responsible for migraines in a lot of people due to constricting blood vessels in the head and also in the heart which can cause chest pains. Once I gave up wine, cheese, avocados and bananas, my migraines completely stopped. Alcohol is a diuretic which can also cause electrolyte imbalance.
Interesting about the avocados and bananas! My first event was after a five mile run with no alcohol in the picture but I do get runner’s headaches especially as I live in Texas. I haven’t run 5 miles since:(. I do believe the wine has played a part but my migraines/headaches have happened on occasion since I was 10. I don’t get them often and I have different triggers but they are horrible when they happen!
Yeah, I ate avocados with every meal. Very sad to have to avoid them. A lot of people on here seem to be big into exercise though. Too much of a theoretically good thing.
I came across a study that had been done in Australia, where they had seen a marked reduction in AF after losing a minimum 10% of body weight and then keeping off. It has to do with all that visceral fat that surrounds our organs. I have lost roughly 5% of my weight so far. and hope to reach my goal. (easier said than done I know) But I have had some surprising other results too since I began eating a Keto diet. My first post by the way! Thanks
Hi
My AF was caused by undiagnosed Papillary Thyroid Cancer.
Stroke with AF and then discovery.
cheri JOY. 75. (NZ)
Caffeine, stress, salt and dehydration were my AF triggers. No problem with any one or two of these in isolation, but put 3 or 4 of them together and an AF episode was more likely.
When I asked my cardiac doctor what caused my AF, he smiled, and said, "Well, you are 64 years old!" There is a possibility that a chemotherapy drug I had to take for aggressive breast cancer in 2015 called Adriamycin, may have caused it. Adriamycin can damage the heart. I would still take it, though, that may be the reason I'm still here!
I don't know if this will help. After a liver tx I progressively developed sensitivities, my heart was playing up daily - angina, tachycardia, ectopic beats and flutters. Ended up in Emergency a few times with suspected MI. My heart doesn't behave like this anymore after going gluten free. Look up "Hidden Symptoms of Gluten Sensitivity" on youtube.
I got a damaged heart from under treated thyroid. Left Ventricle is enlarged. Symptoms of AF lessened by keeping hydrated, blood thinners and occasional dose of 1.25mg Bisoprolol. If pulse rate goes over 128 then it triggers AF. Resting heart rate is normal but exercise will start AF. I don't take Bisoprolol daily because side effects are unpleasant. Makes me depressed and affects my kidney output to ridiculous levels, causes nightmares (got used to them now)
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