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Questions posted in the
Heart Forum have been answered by doctors from The Cleveland Clinic Foundation.
Question Title: A-Fib and Seldane with excersizeForum: The Heart Forum
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Dear Doctor, My question concerns the adverse reaction of Seldane with E-Mycin on the heart. My history: I am 50. I have been working out at least three times a week with 1/2 hour of weights and 1/2 hour of aerobics since 1992. prior to starting the work out program, I went on Seldane for alergies in 1979. For most of my life I have also been on Tetracycline for an acne problem. In 1992, my doctor switched me from Tetracycline to Erythromycin for a year. During this period, I had my first bout of A-fib. It lasted for 12 hours and did not reappear for approximately one year. I continued to work out. In 1993 I also switched back to tetracycline. since 1993, the frequency of A-Fib has slowly increased. I now suffer at least three attacks per week lasting from 3 to six hours each. They always convert themselves. They seem to occur at night just before I fall asleep and are most frequent on days that I worked out. I don't smoke and drink very little, about one drink every two weeks. I don't consume any caffein. I take Rhythmol three times a day and my treadmills are excellent. Echo testing shows a slightly enlarged heart and a slightly leaky valve. Resting heart rate is 42 to 52. I weigh 210 and am 6 ft.4 in. Holter showed sleeping heart rate as low as 32. No thyroid problems. Could there be some connection between A-fib and the Seldane with antibiotics? I got off the Seldane in 1996 but continue with the Tetracycline. It also seems to be much worse the evening after a good weight work out. If the cause can be determined, is A-fib naturally reversible? It just seems to have all started the year I started the Seldane/E-mycin combo and the weight lifting. Thank you. Frustrated in Sherwood.
_ Dear Greg, thank you for your question. I doubt the Seldane - Emycin combination caused you to go into afib. I suspect that you have a leaky mitral valve and an enlarged left atrium based on your echo report. These conditions predispose you to afib because the valve leak causes the left atrium to stretch and enlarge. When this happens, the atrial electrical fibers are stretched and afib can result. Seldane and Emycin can cause ventricular arrhythmias, and not usually atrial arrhythmias. Seldance and tetracycline have not been shown to be harmful when used together. Afib is most often a chronic problem and is not naturally reversible. In addition to the rhythmol, you should also be treated with coumadin to thin your blood and prevent the formation of clots in your heart from the paroxysmal afib. If you would like to make an appointment at the Cleveland Clinic Heart Center, please call 1-800-CCF-CARE or inquire online by using the Heart Center website at www.ccf.org/heartcenter. The Heart Center website contains a directory of the cardiology staff that can be used to select the physician best suited to address your cardiac problem.
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