Heart arrythmias

LindaCPAP · Post by **LindaCPAP** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:07 am

I get occasional heart arrythmias and was told by a cardiologist through testing that nothing is wrong with my heart. I've heard that sleep apnea can sometimes be a cause for these arrythmias and that cpap can help eliminate them. Has anyone had these and has the cpap helped?

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:20 am

I had occasional arrhythmias that have disappeared since starting xpap.

Brenda

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:33 am

Hi Linda,

I had tons of irregular heartbeats during perimenopause. They have slowly subsided. But I have noticed a correlation between them and apnea. I began using CPAP last May, and they have definitely decreased since then. I've also noticed that when I first started using CPAP, and would get frustrated with it and stop using it for a couple days, the irregular heartbeats would return.
I think lots of things that cause our muscles to get tired can cause those heartbeats, and being sleep deprived is definitely one of them.
Try taking calcium and magnesium every day, which can help. Also I found that sublingual B12 can help calm muscles too.

ksp · Post by **ksp** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 7:51 am

Been on CPAP 2weeks and have only one instance of irregular heart beat since. Before , quite regular so I do hope that CPAP is working for that and many other things. Maybe it's the "magic potion."

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:33 am

Yes. The kind called PVC - pre ventricular contractions. Hardly ever happen any more.

O.

JeffH · Post by **JeffH** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 9:50 am

I got my first pacemaker at age 29. I'm about to turn 52 and am on my third one. Looking back I wonder if the problem was OSA related.

Julie · Post by **Julie** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:05 am

They are a well known sign of being menopausal, which is not to say they can't come on for other reasons, but do keep that in mind if it fits.

PMG · Post by **PMG** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 1:52 pm

Yes I definitely think that OSA can cause all kinds of problems with your heart especially palpatations! Before I wa treated for OSA I had PVC's and also when I would wake up in the morning and get in the shower my heart would be just pounding away. When I started the CPAP therapy the PVC's went away because my heart wasn't being stressed out anymore, which was great!

Claire · Post by **Claire** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 2:42 pm

I'll add my voice to those above. In fact, I'm beginning to think that the heart palpitations that I had during the night and in the morning were not just menopausal symptoms, but the beginnings of my sleep apnea!

I don't have them anymore with CPAP.

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 10:34 pm

As a matter of fact, the prevalence of OSA is much greater in post menopausal women.

Makes me wonder how many of the "oh, that's you're menopause" diagnoses in the past were actually misdiagnosed cases of OSA.

O,

unclebob · Post by **unclebob** » Wed Mar 19, 2008 11:35 pm

Hi LindaCPAP,

You should be greatful that your cardiologist says your heart is fine, especially after testing. You should also keep a watchful eye on this condition in the future.

I had congestive heart failure and had to have the aortic valve replaced and later on a pacemaker implanted due to other complications. Prior to the valve replacement I had cardioversion ( took 5 shocks ) to get the atrial fibrillation corrected at the time.

Now it seems I have paroxysmal atrial fibrulation - periodic fast heart rate, and have been put on beta blockers (metropolol) and blood thinners. All in all, not a good thing. Just prior to this and after the valve replacement I was diagnosed with apnea - may have had it all along, just don't know.

What I do know is that I would not be without my CPAP and feel comforted with it.

Wish I could be more help but do feel you should pay close attention to your cardiologist and family MD.

All the best,

Bob F

Shutterspeed · Post by **Shutterspeed** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:11 pm

I was having irregular heartbeats with my OSA. It's not the heart that causes OSA, it's the other way around. When the body starts to lose oxygen, the heart starts beating faster and faster to try to compensate and get oxygen flowing through the blood. The heart doesn't know what the cause of the poor blood/oxygen is and does what it thinks it has to. When you get more oxygen via CPAP, viola, the heart beat doesn't go crazy.

snoozeandlose · Post by **snoozeandlose** » Tue Mar 25, 2008 10:47 pm

I developed atrial filutter last summer and after meds didn't control it I underwent an atrial sinal node ablation to zap the offending area of the heart's electrial system. All went well until January when I though I was in A flutter again because I had all the same symptoms--fatigue, nausea, heart palpitations and shortness of breath.

After trips to two different ERs, wearing a holter monitor for a week and then a "King of Hearts" monitor for a month I finally was diagnosed with premature atrial contractions--PACs. My cardiologist basically blew me off because he said the PACs weren't dangerous.

Maybe so but they make me feel like crap. I ended up seeing my PCP who told me I was in arythymia AND having PACs. He put me on Coreg and Lasix because I was getting some mild congestive heart failure. Anyway my heart went back into sinus rhythym, but I still have the PACs. I do think stress affects all this. I am getting a different cardiac person.

I know I developed hypertension from untreated apnea and my heart has become slightly enlarged which I am sure is also due to the apnea. I also have some pulmonary fibrosis from radiation treatments long ago. At any rate I have been told by all my docs to ALWAYS USE YOUR CPAP or things will get even worse. I do have mitral valve issues as well so it all gets rather complicated. All I know is I am so thankful for good sleep doctors. I guess I need all the help I can get at this point.

Mask

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