asthma and Afib connection.?

[Jetcat]

hi guys and girls, has anyone here got asthma as well as afib.? I ask this because my asthma although mainly seasonal hasn’t been treated as well as I thought this last good few years.!! have recently been placed on the new FOSTAIR inhaler, instead of the preventer spray (brown) and ventilin( blue to be used as and when.

I take just 2 doses on a morning and same before bed. My breathing is now totally different from what it was and my exhale breath reading is now a lot higher too. I breathe with ease now instead of struggling a little.! but Iv noticed my afib has been none existent since I started this new treatment too.! And My days/ weeks long ectopics runs have also not made any appearances which is very surprising to be honest.! I’d be interested to know if anyone else has an asthma meds change and noticed any difference.??

thankyou you lovely peoples.

And all the best.

Ron.

[BobD Volunteer]

Whilst there is no real causal link between asthma and AF there is between ashthma treatment and AF as the first tends to exacerbate the second.

[Jetcat in reply to BobD]

Thankyou bob, that’s very interesting.

[Jonathan_C in reply to Jetcat]

The only value I can add is my cardiologist has always said that whatever risk there is of asthma pumps triggering a-fib, he would much rather me take that risk (of using the pump) as the asthma is a much bigger risk to the a-fib than the meds possibly can be (I was using salbutamol at the time)

[Jetcat in reply to Jonathan_C]

Definitely agree with that. And asthma can turn very ugly sometimes.? I once petted a friends kitten and started sneezing, within 10 minutes I couldn’t breathe and was terrified! My blue spray kept me going until my My wife called ambulance and they were straight out(luckily). I was on oxygen for 6 hours until things calmed down. It’s never happened before and I hope it never happens again.

[pusillanimous in reply to Jetcat]

I have Asthma and when I was diagnosed with PAV, the Cardiologist took me off all my Asthma medication with the exception of the budesonide/formoterol inhaler. He did prescribe Bisoprolol which is a BB and many people consider it contral indicated for Asthma. However, 3 Cardiologists that I have consultated (one died, one moved) - I do not change doctors because I am flighty, have discounted this, stating that as it is cardio specific (my brand is called Cardicor) it will not affect your asthma, it is the broad spectrum BBs that must be avoided.In fact, according to the many papers, one involving thousands in the study that I have found on the Internet, there is no evidence that Bisoprolol will exacerbate Asthma, and in some instances could be beneficial.

[Jetcat in reply to pusillanimous]

Thankyou pus, that is very interesting.

[alvariam in reply to pusillanimous]

When I was diagnosed with asthma a hospital doctor suggested that bisoprolol could have triggered the asthma.

[pusillanimous in reply to alvariam]

Was he a Cardiologist or Pulmonologist? I have adult onset asthma that was diagnosed at least 15 years before I was diagnosed with AF and prescribed Bisoprolol,

[alvariam in reply to pusillanimous]

Sorry cannot say which, but two consultants said the same.

[pusillanimous in reply to alvariam]

Sorry, it's years since I lived in the Uk (I live in South africa now) so I'm not sure what a Consultant is. Here we have Specialists in their field e.g Cardiologists, Obstetricians, Ear Nose and throat Specialists etc.etc. In the dental field I knew a fellow who had been a Periodotal registrar in a London Hospital, so I really don't know who is who in the Zoo. I know that when I left the UK surgeons were called 'Mr' - my mother was besotted with Mr XXXXX who had removed her gall bladder and given her the stones from it😆. BTW two of the Cardiologists who told me that the Biso would not affect my asthma have post graduate qualifications from Edinburgh , so maybe they teach something different in Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿.

[Karenjaninaz in reply to BobD]

Any pulmonary issue affect the heart because the heart is pumping blood through the lungs. My primary doctor suggested that my atrial fibrillation was really related to my restrictive lung disease from scoliosis On the other hand the electrophysiologists that did my pulse field ablation mentioned that asthma inhalers, which are beta agonists, can trigger extra beats or fast beats, Not to worry.

[Jetcat in reply to Karenjaninaz]

That’s interesting Karen. My EP did ask me how I was getting on with ventolin.?

[Buffafly]

Bob’s reply only applies to the blue inhaler I think. My inhaler is a combo of two things but no Ventolin. I don’t know Fostair but I assume it has a different chemical too. I think asthma can affect AF because if you’re struggling to breathe you will have too much carbon dioxide in your blood - the equivalent of a panic attack which certainly does affect AF. Great to hear what a good result you are having with Fostair.

[Jetcat in reply to Buffafly]

Thankyou buffafly, It was only until I had my annual health check earlier this year that my asthma nurse noticed I was using a lot of blue inhaler and gave me a spirometry test and I could only get to 400 with one powerful breath out.!! So she suggested the fostair spray. Within 2 weeks my test was up to 550+

It may just be coincidence you never know.?? Next week I may be posting that my afib and ectopics are back with a vengeance.??😂

[Buffafly in reply to Jetcat]

I hope not!

[Jetcat in reply to Buffafly]

Me too.😝👍

[pusillanimous in reply to Buffafly]

Fostair seems to have the same or vey similar ingredients as the Symbicord (Symbicort in some countries that I use).

[Jetcat in reply to pusillanimous]

It’s really good. So far anyway.?? 😝

[Buffafly in reply to pusillanimous]

So it is! My inhaler used to be Symbicort but now a generic version which is very similar. I wonder why Fostair seems to be more effective? OK I just checked and Jetcat wasn’t taking symbicort but separate inhalers, I must have been thinking of another reply.

[Jetcat in reply to Buffafly]

👍

[108cat]

Yes the blue reliever inhaler (salbutimol) includes adrenaline which exacerbates AF and I found, creates a sort of panicky feeling (added to the difficulty breathing ..). At one time I was using the blue one a lot and definitely felt the impact on my heart and state of mind. This was before the onset of PAF but it could have contributed to it.

[Jetcat in reply to 108cat]

Thankyou 108 for that. the salbutamol did ease my breathing when I needed it but it did increase my heart rate for a while after too. I felt it without needing to look at my Fitbit history too.

[Hammerboy]

I’ve never assumed a link between AF and asthma as I developed asthma at aged 52 after moving to the countryside and was told it was due to the fact my house was surrounded by agricultural land . It’s always been quite mild and for some years I just used a symbicort inhaler morning and evening which pretty much meant I didn’t wheeze or have any breathlessness . After some time I found that it became ineffective and my GP recommended a change to Fostair . It’s quite possible my AF developed around the time my asthma had worsened but it certainly wasn’t due to starting on Fostair but as Bob has said their appears to be a link between asthma and AF just as many people believe digestion and AF are linked in their own case . Personally pretty much 95% of my AF episodes start after eating so I can understand that link although my EP disagrees with that theory. As for Fostair it’s been extremely effective and I haven’t wheezed for nearly 3 years now with only one puff morning and evening .

[Jetcat in reply to Hammerboy]

iv had asthma mainly in the hayfever season as a child but when I hit my late 30s it was still there in the winter then disappeared completely for a few years and came back in my 40s.

This fostair is really good and I’m hoping it keeps on doing a great job.

Thankyou mate.👍

[mikefff]

Hi Jetcat. I have always had asthma with blue inhaler, but now with a red inhaler since starting bisiprolol and apix. Seems to trigger worse sometimes with these meds hence the more powerful red inhaler. Bisiprolol can increase asthma effect I've heard. Cheers.

[Jetcat in reply to mikefff]

Thanks Mike, the cardiologist said the same thing about bisoprolol aggravating asthma in certain folk. I always thought my asthma was pretty well controlled. I actually didn’t realise it wasn’t the case until I started this fostair spray.👍

[Lupaal]

I was diagnosed with asthma earlier this year at 70, I too have the Fostair and I now don't cough all night which hopefully will help my afib as it normally starts in the early hours. Fingers crossed , no afib attacks since starting on it.

[Jetcat in reply to Lupaal]

That’s great. Long may it continue for us.👍

[JillyBeau]

Avoid Aspirin and foods containing salicylates which contain the same compound, mostly fruit and veg. There are lists online. The RPAH list is the best one.

[Jetcat in reply to JillyBeau]

Thankyou jillyBeau.👍

[Adiepie]

yes, yes and no. Asthma , med change to Fostair, but no apparent change to PAF. Have recently moved to Flecainide, this had a significant change in my PAF frequency

[Jetcat in reply to Adiepie]

Nice result👍