Comments on: Does Air Pollution Cause Atrial Fibrillation?

By: janetrosemarie

janetrosemarie — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 21:58:07 +0000

I’ve had A-Fib since large doses of Vioxx for an inflamed knee 11 years ago. I certainly feel like the canary in the coal mine and have come to realize that it is very unique to each individual.
Recently I have added to my list of triggers the air quality. This usually happens whenever entering a small cabin or shed that has some mold issues. I have also seen that even a small beer or wine isn’t a good idea for me and would love to find an alchoholic drink that doesn’t trigger…wonder about the processes of making wine and beer….allergens a definite issue. Stress is a biggy (the shock or surprise moments are not easy). I always feel good when around good fresh air and lots of trees or wide open spaces. So hard to figure it all out…so glad to have seen a great internist when first happening and did a game plan (because of no high blood pressure or heart disease) when I land in a-fib I take an anti-anxiety med…go to bed and give myself 10-12 hrs to convert (depending on severity and no signs of stroke) ..if not..get help. works pretty good. It is a constant awareness and interesting investigation after having each one. I was staying somewhere in Nov. Dec. where the oil furnace was malfunctioning without knowing it….bad air coming into the older farm home..I started having a-fibs a few times a week before we figured it out.

What a journey…

By: Dallas

Dallas — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:59:29 +0000

I have found my main triggers for A-Fib are air pollutants. I have no problems with coffee or alcohol provided they are in small quantities – ie a cup or two of coffee per day and 1 standard drink of alcohol. I’m 49 and also run and swim and find that helps provided the air is clean at the time I exercise.

The worst air pollutant for me is bushfire smoke or smoke from when the Government runs it’s annual fuel reduction burns in the local forests here in Australia. This has had me in hospital. The other air pollutants are dust and pollens during spring and also preceding any large thunderstorm as it drags up particles from all the wheat and canola crops in the area. Often it starts off as either hayfever or asthma and then progresses to A-Fib a day or two later if the pollution is still present.

By: Kelly Courage

Kelly Courage — Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:43:49 +0000

I’ve had A-Fib for most of my life. However, not terribly problematic until I reached 50 years old. Before then, just sitting down , taking a few relaxing deep breaths and my heart would stop racing. I was an athlete most of my life. Football seemed to be the sport where I noticed most of the a-fib attacks. Generally occurring after an unusual stretching motion from my arms. A defensive corner back move of changing direction while back peddling .Throwing the elbow quickly back in the direction that you wanted to go. Later in life, it graduated to more serious attacks. Now the cause seemed to be from combinations of stress, lack of sleep, caffeine, and any compromise to my immune system, that is virus or some minor illness. I do live in a community, Missoula, Mt., where an inversion keeps pollutants at high levels, hovering in the city. It therefore is susceptible to smog in the summer as well during fire season. I noticed this year, my incidents of a-fib increased during fire season. Maybe due to my bodies immune system being compromised by fighting the smoke inhalation. I’m Nearly 60, now, and still very active, including running as a choice of exercise. However, my a-fib is increasingly frequent and I have scheduled an appointment with the International Heart Institute , St. Patricks Hospital, Msla., Mt.. I hope this helps.

By: Michelle

Michelle — Thu, 30 Jun 2011 16:09:17 +0000

I work in a hospital and just found out that one of the office within our office is filled with mold. In March of 2011 I was hopitalized with AFIB with shortness of breath and I have been hospitalized three times and ED visits since.
Please assist.

By: Mellanie

Mellanie — Sun, 29 May 2011 00:54:43 +0000

Philip,

Very interesting. Thanks for sharing.

Mellanie

By: Tom Thornton

Tom Thornton — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 18:14:23 +0000

I found out I had AFIB by accident. I was traveling to another state which took about 24 hours and I felt so good I did not stop to rest and drove straight through. The next morning I woke with a Pounding Heart and called the Parmedics. They said I was in A FIB???? I did not know what that was. I fgound out the Stress oif all the driving and no rest was the cause. I have since been put on Meds and doing fine, but I did have a minor attack when I was cutting the grass. I have to belive it was from the Pollen in the Grass and the Air. I started to wear a mask and found I had no more attacks. I forgot one day to wear one and the next day…BAM…an attack. I asked my Cardiologist about it and He said it was possible. So I never do Yard work or anything like that with out a Mask. I have looked abck on my life and noticed that Pollen and Allergies paly a part part in our Health. I have never been one to have Allergy problem until now. At 62 years old I now watch myself and wear a Mask.

By: Philip Jepsen

Philip Jepsen — Fri, 22 Apr 2011 17:03:44 +0000

Mellanie,

I have had Atrial Fibrillation twice, about 18 years apart. While not caused by standard air pollution, it was caused by my hair spray. Aqua Net hairspray contains a extremely dangerous substance called Cyclohexylamine, which triggered afib. You might say it was very localized air pollution…
http://philipjepsen.com/?p=43

By: Mellanie

Mellanie — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 04:40:36 +0000

Dallas,

I am so sorry. As one who is so sensitive to smoke myself, you have my sympathies. We know that smoke from any source is a problem, not just from smoking.

In the US, we’re fairly stringent about those kinds of things, thanks to our U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and agencies in most states. But that’s not the case everywhere. Here in Texas, we do have problems when the Mexican crops are burned off as their smoke and particulate matter come hundreds of miles across our borders.

There are masks you can wear. In fact, a company in Canada, Respro (I have no vested interest), makes masks with carbon filters that motorcyclists wear to filter out exhaust and particulate matter. And around the house, we use HEPA air filters (we prefer the ones from Austin Air). Perhaps some of these things could help. Good luck.

Mellanie

By: Dallas Filby

Dallas Filby — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:42:33 +0000

I have been a runner for 35 years and always very healthy. However, in the area of Australia where I live, over the last 10 years, the Government has seen fit to try to reduce bushfire risk by burning off very large areas of native bushland over a three month period every year. Now we all know and hear how bad smoking is for our health and even passive smoking too with bans for it in many places now.

Yet, for three months of the year my environment can be filled with toxic bushfire smoke with no way to escape from it – day or night. It can go on for days and weeks sometimes as they choose the most stable time of the year to burn off when there is no wind or rain.

I’ve always been particularly sensitive to this smoke, and its made me feel nauseous and caused my lungs to burn and after a few days causing high levels of anxiety and stress. Worse though it brought on my first bouts of A-Fib.

The Government health warnings tell the general population to implement our asthma management plans during burn-off if we have breathing problems yet that just shows how ignorant they are to the many other health issues caused by this level of persistent smoke.

I was initially told I had asthma when i presented to the doctor and hospital with breathing problems and sore lungs from smoke. Yet it took 8 years to finally get an ECG and diagnose A-Fib as I kept being sent away with an asthma inhaler. Luckily I don’t have problems with A-Fib when the air is clean, but now I have to travel inter-state during burn-off season due to my health and this is very expensive. I’d like some way of being able to filter my home from this level of smoke, but I have yet to find a solution.

I wonder how many others are suffering similar health problems due to some form of smoke – either from passive smoke in the home or from bushfires or burning off etc. I think it’s an area that hasn’t had enough studies done, the attitude currently being that if you cough when there’s smoke, then you get handed an asthma inhaler with no more questions.

By: Kelly Jamison

Kelly Jamison — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 18:06:46 +0000

Please take note of what you eat! I almost ALWAYS have A-Fib-palpations when I eat crackers, certain breads, canned foods, and such. I cannot drink diet pops that will send my heart in a flutter! Inflammation I do believe, electolyte imbalances, some of us our very sensitive and have to take preventive measures. Its hard to eat without any preservatives and chemicals in our foods..they are everywhere! We spend billions of dollars on cancer research every year…the answer is right in front of us, but they make too much money off drugs/chemicals to cure disease…..