Atrial fibrillation, or atrial fibrillation, is a common disease in older people. It is not always noticed by the doctor or the patient. Atrial fibrillation is treatable, but unprotected there is a greatly increased risk of complications because an irregular heartbeat increases the risk of clots.
This can be prevented with regular blood thinners. But in certain cases it can be dangerous. In this article more information about atrial fibrillation and our experience with it in our regular complementary practice. Atrial fibrillation is a difficult condition that is very dear to my heart because I was confronted with this arrhythmia myself when I was 38.
The cardiologist found no physical causes, it was purely my hectic lifestyle. Too much stress, irregular eating, often insufficient nutrients and little exercise. Because I was aware of the dangers as a regular pharmacist, I changed course and immersed myself in prevention. Especially because otherwise I would have had to take heavy regular heart medication and atrial fibrillation can have a significant impact on your quality of life. Improving lifestyle can have a beneficial effect on the course. Nevertheless, atrial fibrillation is mainly a disease of old age. It is treatable and with the right medication you can grow old with it.
Untreated there is a greatly increased risk of a (cerebral) infarction. Unfortunately, in practice we often see patients who have been left untreated for too long, are then confronted with an infarction and only discover in the hospital that atrial fibrillation was the cause. If the arrhythmia lasts longer than 48 hours, a blood clot can form in the atrium (the small heart chamber) that can block a blood vessel elsewhere in the body.
What happens in the heart?
With a normal heart rhythm, electrical impulses arise in one place, the sinus node. In atrial fibrillation, these occur in more places. As a result, the heart rate can be nearly twice as high as normal, often exceeding 150 beats per minute. Some feel it, others don’t. An ECG can show what is going on, with ultrasound one can analyze whether there are valve defects or other anatomical abnormalities that cause the disorder. Often several factors play a role that together increase the risk of atrial fibrillation.
Causes
There are many possible causes: high blood pressure, diabetes, heart problems such as an infarction, heart failure, poor fitness and lifestyle, heart muscle disease, heart valve disease or congenital heart disease. An overactive thyroid gland or a severe inflammation (such as pneumonia) can also provoke atrial fibrillation, as can the wrong diet, alcohol and lifestyle. It is more common in severely overweight and in people with apnoea. A glass of alcohol a day can already increase the risk of atrial fibrillation for patients who are sensitive to it, and drugs such as cocaine, Ecstasy and amphetamines can also be a trigger. Stress is also an important factor.
Patients with atrial fibrillation are usually treated regularly with an antiarrhythmic drug or a beta-blocker. Based on the so-called CHAD score, a doctor determines whether anticoagulation is necessary. If the risk of an infarction is high, this risk can be greatly reduced with a regular anticoagulant. Unfortunately, regular anticoagulant medication cannot be replaced by a natural alternative. The standard use of a regular blood thinner without indication is not advisable because blood thinners can increase the risk of bleeding. That is why a blood thinner is only used if there is an increased risk of an infarction.
Is histamine a trigger for developing atrial fibrillation?
Food can provoke an allergic reaction in which histamine (a body’s own substance) can be released in the body through an allergic reaction. In practice, we increasingly see that an increase in histamine in the body triggers an attack of atrial fibrillation. This phenomenon is still relatively unknown in general practice. Two scientific studies show that the administration of an antihistamine called antazoline can stop atrial fibrillation. This is promising. The results showed that patients with atrial fibrillation who received antazoline showed a much higher rate of restoration of normal heart rhythm than patients treated with standard heart medication.
To what extent is supplementation useful?
We have known for fifteen years that drugs that increase so-called Heat Shock Proteins (HSP) in the atrium can protect the heart against atrial fibrillation. In one study, L-glutamine has been described as helping to make these protective HSPs. L-glutamine has a marked effect on HSP levels in the blood and these effects are associated with more energy in the body. It is a common amino acid and forms a building block for many other amino acids and proteins and provides more HSP in cells. A new study is currently underway to test whether L-glutamine has a possible beneficial effect on patients’ energy status. During atrial fibrillation, several energy makers are affected, administration of L-glutamine ensures recovery of these energy makers. Derailment of the protein balance in atrial cells is responsible for the onset and aggravation of atrial fibrillation. L-glutamine is a safe dietary supplement that is available without a prescription and is easy to use. The substance also ensures a better condition of the intestine, which can also improve resistance. An American study shows that protein supplementation in postmenopausal women provided better protection against atrial fibrillation.
These new insights provide new targets for medicines aimed at cell repair. Various supplements, such as vitamin D3, omega 3, magnesium, crataegus, berberine, vitamin K2 and resveratrol, can have a positive effect on cardiovascular disease. A human placebo-controlled pilot study (156 subjects with heart failure) shows that berberine improves heart function, increases physical fitness and reduces mortality. After treatment with berberine, the increase in exercise capacity and improvement in heart function was significant compared to the control group. There was a significant reduction in the mortality rate in the berberine-treated patients during long-term follow-up. Proarrhythmia (induction of an arrhythmia) was not observed and there were no obvious side effects. Berberine thus improved quality of life and reduced risks in patients with atrial fibrillation. Studies also show that berberine inhibits the formation of arteriosclerosis. Berberine is therefore a valuable substance for the patient with atrial fibrillation.
Conclusion
If a patient with atrial fibrillation is on a regular anticoagulant, there is a potential for interaction with the supplement because bleeding time may be increased by some supplements. Therefore, have these types of combinations checked before you have them used by a specialist in this field.