Hi! Any of you afibbers been put on statins and started having increased palpitations? That's what's happening to me right now.
Started 20mg lipitor (atorvastatin) about a month ago. Since then, and especially over the last couple of weeks, have had lots more palpitations than usual, although no sustained Afib. Haven't caught any of them on my Kardia. I get them after eating, when bending over or making other postural changes, and with even mild exertion at the moment.
History of PAF, had ablation almost a year ago, no sustained Afib incidents since then. Had plenty of palps in the week after the ablation but I'd say it's even worse now.
Thanks!
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acordeon
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it sounds like trapped wind to me. I get a lot of digestive issues which give me palpitations. I have never put it down to the statins I take. I have been on various ones over the years.
I've been on same statin and dose as you for a year or so and haven't noticed any change in palpitations i.e. still have the occasional "flutter". We're all different - so your experience could be different or it could also just be coincidental.
They could also be from the other factors mentioned, noting for example the following from the Australia Government's Health Direct website.
"When bending over, there is increased intra-abdominal pressure and this is transmitted up the esophagus (or a hiatal hernia) which lies directly against the back of the left atrium. This is the most common cause of non-cardiac palpitations."
This has been an interesting topic and took me back to my early days of my paroxysmal AF (pAF) diagnosis and the ensuing journey, all starting in January 2010, aged 65 ( I'm now 80 ). Once the pAF had been identified and understood I was set up on a medication path. Before leaving hospital my Cardiac Consultant discussed with me the ways forward, including ablation, but I rejected them all - choosing only to take the medication path.
By September 2010 I had determined that my pAF kicked off after food and usually in the early hours of the morning. It was also accompanied by a number of symptoms .... diahorrea, burping, and intestinal gurgling along with massive, massive pain under the left lower ribs. I had many consultations with my local Dr. and he arranged for a number of tests aimed at confirming IBS and Coeliac Disease. These tests came back - all clear. Dr suggested more tests but I declined ... instead I consulted a Nutritionist ( Dietician ) for professional advice on diet and food in general. The initial way forward was to go Gluten free, wheat free and oats free !
She worked with me over many months to construct a food intake plan and that proved to be the way forward.
Now ! running in parallel with this was my medication intake.
In 2007 ( aged 63 ), 3 years before pAF mugged me - my Dr put me on Ramipril and Simvastatin - the first permanent long term medication in my life. I had always been perfectly health apart from the usual run of colds and flu's over the years. When I was discharged from hospital in January 2010 my party bag of drugs was widened to include Bisoprolol and Warfarin ( Coumadin ). Following my 1 st attempt at retirement in 2012 ( aged 68 ) my Dr. added Felodopine to the medication mix as my blood pressure was becoming a more once again.
Apart from taking my meds at the correct times of day all I do these days is watch my food intake very carefully. Interestingly though I have often reflected over my life and my health patterns since the age of 32 and what has emerged is gut, gut, gut and even more gut problems, at the age of 32 to 35 ish I was constantly back and forth from my Dr. with food and digestive issues and at one point I was almost hospitalised with gallstone issues ... ooooh ! the pain ! and I must agree with Vonnegut about Statins and Cholesterol and diet - although my diet is a bit different.
My heart kicked off with palpitations and ectopics in April 2024 again and thanks to my new Cardiac Consultant all is now controlled with meds - which are - Simvastatin, Felodopine, Sotalol, Warfarin and for a non heart related issue, Finasteride. I also take CoQ10. I still closely monitor my food intake. Until July this year this lot did include Ramipril but this has been suspended in order to stop a cough.
Interestingly, over the years I've got involved in family geneaology and as a spin off I have found that death by stroke and heart issues, including AF, has existed in the paternal side of my family since 1964, earlier than that is alot more unclear. Hope this is of interest ... its the food/gut/heart/vagal nerve complex again.
I’m taking statins now as it seems cholesterol must have been what has built the large gallstone I have even though I have eaten a healthy diet with no meat or dairy for many years. I take Flecainide which keeps my heart in order but no other drugs.
I take Atorvastatin and have not had any problems with it. I have taken COQ10 since I started on Statins, as statins can lower the levels of it, in your body. If you Google COQ10 and Statins, it will tell you all about it. COQ10 is important for heart health, among other things.
I had an ablation a year ago too. I had a lot of palpitations after that, for quite a long time, but they seem to have lessened quite a lot now. I took an ECG of the palpitations on my EMAY ECG monitor and showed it to the Doctor, when I went for my follow- up appointment in February and he said they were nothing to worry about and everyone gets them.
I was taking CoQ10 also, and my cardiologist suggested I stop it because he's seen it cause paliptations in his patients. Been off it for 4 days now, though, and no improvement.
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