Re: Atrial Fibrillation

Posted By CCF CARDIO MD-APS on December 07, 1998 at 12:26:16:

In Reply to: Atrial Fibrillation posted by Lisy on December 06, 1998 at 10:26:17:






A friend of mine has irregular heartbeats, a "fluttering" that occurs occasionally.  He is being treated for atrial fibrillation. His doctor used the defibrillator on him in the hospital as a treatment,, and he is taking medicine (blood thinners) & a heart medicine (cumidin?).  We are curious if Marijuana would cause the fluttering.  I have a feeling he is afraid to discuss this with his Dr. He smokes often but does not notice any fluttering during that time, or even right after.  I am trying to find some research on this.  Thank you for your time.



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Dear Lisy,
Firstly, please read the response/advice from Denise as it is VERY GOOD advice
indeed.  As Denise implies, there are a multitude of causes of atrial fibrillation, only some of which are known.
For example, hyperthyroidism and alcohol ingestion have no direct connection to the heart and yet they both can cause a.fib.
A heart that is enlarged from longstanding hypertension (high blood pressure) or coronary heart disease is predisposed to a.fib.
And even some young otherwise healthy people get a.fib.  Patients with lung disease are prone to a.fib if the lung damage is bad
enough that it puts a strain on their heart.  In that sense, marijuana use on a regular basis is bad.  It is most important however that your
friend's doctor KNOW EVERYTHING about his patient, as Denise said because otherwise, there is not only the potential for undertreatment (due to the doctors' not knowing all the facts)
but also there are potential complications for the patient placed on medical therapy who is not completely honest with his/her physician in that drug interactions will and can occur- especially
with a medicine like coumadin.  A.fib is a serious diagnosis with a good potential for stroke if not effectively treated.   I hope that this information has been useful.
Information provided in the heart forum is intended for general medical informational purposes only, actual diagnosis and treatment can only be made by  your physician(s).