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Heart Disease (Expert Forum)
Meds Causing Arrythmia?
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Meds Causing Arrythmia?
by DaveG, Apr 09, 2002 12:00AM
Hi, I have a question about the possibility of Digitek (which is a generic Digoxin) causing me to have arrythmias (PVCs and PACs). I went to the ER Dec 25 2001 because my pulse was very, very irregular and very vdery fast. When I got there it was diagnosed as Atrial Fibrillation and treated with some really scary drugs and eventually a few injections of digoxin did the trick and I was released. Following up with a cardiologist, after blood work, ECG, Echo, and Holter, it was determined that my heart was healthy and that nothing else was wrong. The Afib was attributed to stress, alcohol use over the holidays as well as lack of sleep and nicotine. Well, I have since kicked the nicotine habit, drink only one cup of coffee a day, watch my diet and get plenty of exercise and sleep. But ever since the ER visit I have had PVCs and PACs which were driving me crazy. All the while since the event, I have been on digitek once a day. Recently, my doctor told me to stop taking it, and the arrythmias stop nearly completely. It has been 4 days since I took my last dose, and I have had only one episode of a few arrythmias, and this was upon being woke up in the middle of the night to some strange noises outside. Anyway, my real question is, was the digitek causing the arrythmias. If so, if they begin to occur again in the future, should I worry. I am 25 years old (male), and in good health otherwise.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-M.D.-CRC, Apr 09, 2002 12:00AM
Dear Dave,
Congratulations on "kicking the habit". This is the single best thing you can do for your health. As far as the arrhythmias go, digoxin can cause some increase in palpitations. In general we do not use digoxin much anymore for afib so I would tend to agree with your doctor that stopping it is the best option. If you have more afib I would consult a cardiologist and then other medications might be considered.
Congratulations on "kicking the habit". This is the single best thing you can do for your health. As far as the arrhythmias go, digoxin can cause some increase in palpitations. In general we do not use digoxin much anymore for afib so I would tend to agree with your doctor that stopping it is the best option. If you have more afib I would consult a cardiologist and then other medications might be considered.
Did you say you stopped drinking all alcohol? Any kind of booze (couple of drinks - many beers) used to cause me to have crazy boughts of consistent PVC's...I guess the excessive alcohol irritated my heart muscle causing the electrical system to become slightly off kilter. Anyway, when I quit drinking, the consistent PVC's have gone away and have not returned for over 2 years. I have a few pvc's throughout the day, but they are not frequent like they used to be.
Good Luck!
Ken S.
I was feeling fine, but a physical exam dedected Afib. After going through Thalium stress test, echo EKG, and heart cath, the cardiologist put me on Digoxin and Tiazac. Those drugs have apparently reduced the heart beat to normal, but it is still irregular.
He also had me stop drinking the one beer before dinner, and sometimes before lunch. It seemed like very little beer, and I am wondering if it will really help to stop all drinking. How long before you noticed any benefit?
racedriver