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Amlodipine and Atrial Fibrillation?

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gandalf
gandalf

I am 45 years old and I have been on 5mg amlodipine for about 2 years for a blood pressure that tends to spike. I was first on Lisinopril and then Valsartan though I had to stop those medications within a few weeks of starting due to tachycardia/palpatations which prevented me from walking any significant distance at one point.

During my time on amlodipine, I commented to my GP about a fluttery/thumpy heartbeat. These were first diagnosed as ectopic beats and reasonably common. Time has moved on and (to make a long story short) a cardiologist has now diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). ECGs taken previous to starting any blood pressure medicine as part of routine health exams were normal.

I would be very grateful for any similar experiences anyone has had regarding a suspicion that calcium channel blockers like amlodipine led to an Atrial fibrillation/Atrial flutter diagnosis or even an increased awareness of an arrhythmia in your heart rate.

3 likes, 47 replies

47 Replies

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  • babyphatgirl07
    babyphatgirl07

    Posted

    i thought i was going cray! i hate going to the docs bcs they always make you feel its not true, but i feel its because they dont want you to bring a lawsuit against them. i suffer from vertigo and it causes my bp to raise very high. i was put on this medication and have the same symptoms as everyone has described so thoroughly but this time i feel my heart acting really funny and it scares me. i looked it up to find this is one of the side effects!! as if i/we dont have enough problems!! i mean its not just a few occurrences its all day long and some chest pain along with pain in my arm. i hate the drug community and pharmaceutical companies bcs all they care about are the billions of dollars they make off of sick people. instead of trying to have preventive medicine and focus on cures, this is the world we live in and its sad!! i even heard years ago that there was a cure for diabetes, but the dude was paid off by these people to keep it under wraps!! God help us all!!!
  • evoc
    evoc

    Posted

    Yes, it is true amlodipine is known to cause rapid heartbeat and irregular hearbeats. It has done this for

    me at the lowest dose 2.5 mg.

    The doc was pleased that the blood pressure had gone so low, he increased the dose to 5. mg, which

    increased the heart pounding and quadrupled the irregular heartbeats on the very first day.

    I took that dose two days, then after nearly passing out while sitting at the computer, I cut it in half for two

    more days with no reduction in those symptoms.

    I then cut the dose to 1/4 of the tablet for two more days, then stopped completely.

    The symptoms did not stop, as I expected.

    It has been just at two and one half months since I stopped using amlodipine and the symptoms are

    slowing down, but still not completely gone.

    This is very concerning, and I am hoping the medication has not caused permanent heart damage, as I did

    not have heart trouble prior to amlodipine.

    This was the last of a number of blood pressures medications I have taken - all with one deleterious

    side-effect or another.

    I am now taking nothing, and waiting it out.

    It is not your imagination!

    • roman
      roman evoc

      Posted

      Evoc, please note my posting to Peter Hirsch on 1/12/14. Roman
  • Peter_hirsch
    Peter_hirsch gandalf

    Posted

    I confirm your experience. I have no doubrt that amlodipine causes pulse irreguilarities and that those irregularities cease within days of discontinuing the drug. I was prescribed one 5mg tablet daily about 5 years ago by a doctor who, after prescribing it, did not monitor the results. 

    After a few months, I began to notice that my heartbeat was irregular in the early mornings. Lying in bed on waking, on my left side, I could hear the heart beating. Rate was between 40 and 50 per minute. Quite often, the pulse would miss a beat. Sometimes it would miss two beats. I feared it would miss a third and I would die! The GP - not the one who prescribed amlodipine, said it was nothing to worry about and he also had arrhythmia.

    Then, one morning, I fainted while cleaning my teeth.  Symptoms were classic for altitude sickness and lack of blood to the brain as in a high 'G' turn in an aircraft. When I regained consiousness, palpitations were evident. My wife made me consult my GP who referred me to a cardiologist. While waiting for my appointment with the latter, I stopped taking the amlodipine and lisinopril. The arrhythmia reduced progressively over a month and is now absent. First of all, the heart stopped missing beats. Then the arrhythmia reduced and now is not detectable by my blood pressure monitor or by me. I recommenced the lisinopril. The arrhythmia has not returned. QOD the amlodipine was the cause. 

    My cardiologist tells me the faint "cannot be attributed to amlodipine which does not have a significant impact on the rhythm/rate of the heart." I do not think the evidence, either in my own experience or in the records on this and other sites bear this out. 

  • Peter_hirsch
    Peter_hirsch gandalf

    Posted

    I was put on amlodipine about 5-6 years ago. I am able to hear my pulse when lying in bed early in the morning. I noticed my pulse rate was about 40-45, weak and irregular. Often a pulse or two would be missed (about 1 in 20). My GP (not the prescriber) told me this was not anything to worry about. That was a couple of years ago.

    3 months ago, I got up, shaved and began to clean my teeth, standing in front of the basin. Vision greyed and I fainted. Unconcious for several minutes and then unable to stand, I was covered with sweat and very cold. I crawled into my bed. Recovered in half an hour or so, I was taken to A&E. ECG, etc. Later I read the instructions accompanying my blood pressure tablets, amlodopine and lisinopril and discovered arrhythmia is indicated for amlodopine for about 5% of patients. So I stopped taking it. The arrhythmia began to decrease. First, the heart stopped missing two beats and then missed none. This took a couple of weeks. The irregularity of the pulse lessened. My blood pressure monitor stopped showing traces of arrhythmia. In order to avoid going back on a drug I tried a supplement, Purmedica's Systolex. I am now into my second month with this product and my blood pressure is now mostly well within normal limits. (I used Purmedica's product because of the success with which I used their gout treatment supplement, which has eliminated almost all of the deposits around the affected joints, deposits built up over 30 years of gout attacks, improved joint mobility and seems to have prevented further attacks.)

    My cardiologist has told me that amlodipine does not cause arrhythmia. It appears that he has failed to read the literature about side effects and so had my GP. Well, so had I for about 6 years and such negligence almost, I think, killed me.

    Before you take a new medicine, read the leaflet that comes with it. Thoroughly!

    • roman
      roman Peter_hirsch

      Posted

      More than 2 years since my last posting. However, as far as my atrial fibrillations are concerned things are progressively going from bad to worse. When I started with what I called palpitations more than 3 years ago they only occurred every 6-8 weeks now I have an episode of a.f.at least every week and last week I had 3. That is despite being on a double daily dose of bisoprolol. I find it difficult to even walk during one of these episodes.                                                                           I am now more convinced than ever that my problems originate with the prescription of Amlodipine. I only wish I had not persevered through the painful(blue) swollen ankles and the nightime pounding heartbeat (which I did because I could see that it did reduce my B P- but at what cost?) Then the a.f. started, the damage seems to have been done and it is too late. The a.f. overcomes the limiting effect of the bisoprolol betablocker despite the dose being increased.                 Prior to the Amlodipine and despite my slightly elevated BP(145-150 over 85-90) I never had any palpitations or any discernable heart problems. I have always exercise daily and taken 75mg dispersible asprin for more than 30 years.                                                                I am certain that Amlodipine has dangerous side effects which while not affecting everyone should be taken note of by health professionals (note all the comment on this and associated forums on UK Patients).                                                                                            Nothing brings home the realization of your own mortality than an irregular heartbeat.                                                                                                               Roman.
  • cpwood
    cpwood gandalf

    Posted

    I am certain I also had issues with amlodipine.  I had been on a 5mg dosage for some time and it worked well.  My blood pressure had been rising so my doctor raised my dosage to 10mg.  Within a short time my blood pressure dropped below 100 and I was experience poor endurance.  My doctor did an ekg and discovered the Afib.  I stopped taking amlodipine entirely, but the symptoms remained and my pulse dropped causing me to pass out and go to the ER.  I am now on a pacemaker.  My doctor has admitted off the record that the amlodipine could be the cause, but my heart doctor totally ignores me when I claim amlodipine is the cause.  I truly believe it its.  The timing of the increased dosage and the onset of Afib is too much of a coincidence.
  • jim62804
    jim62804 gandalf

    Posted

    Hi,

    I wish I had read all these before taking this awful Amlodipine.

    Too late for me now, I have NOW got the dreaded AF and now on Bisoprolol and warfarin for the duration !!!!!   bugger !

    Jim B.

  • diana57664
    diana57664 gandalf

    Posted

    I am 63 years old. With a crx stent.  I was taking Amlodipine and other blood pressure meds.  I was having fluttering and many palpatations. My dr. agnored me.  I was scared to death and many trips to er. My legs were sollen daily so badly that by end of day i could not walk.  After 1 year of this i told the replace Dr. about amlodipine symtoms published by the FDA. So he replaced it by uping my Losartin. Within 3 days my legs were normal.

    Alawys do searches on your meds, and follow your heart and inter voice. We can not always take the latest and greatest like they want us to do. I would get more opinions and AFib until you are comfortable. Good Luck

  • reginald86759
    reginald86759 gandalf

    Posted

    Hi Gandalf if you are still using this forum. I just posted asking exactly your question about the possible link between amlodopine and arrhythmia. Palpitations are listed as a common side effect. Have you managed to find out any more since your last posting?

    i have an attack roughly every month, always when lying down at night and it lasts 4/6 hours then stops.

  • reginald86759
    reginald86759 gandalf

    Posted

    Hi Gandalf,

    i posted a question  on this last week. Yes I believe Amlopodine could be causing me Arrythmia problems. It is after all one of their published "common side effects". I have just had an ablation for atrial flutter and await to see if that has solved the problem. I am seeing my Doctor next month and intend to track down when my Arrythmia started and when I started on Amlodopine.

    I take amlodopine for hypertension so there are many other drugs I could change to. I'll post again after seeing the Doc.

  • amanda13022
    amanda13022 gandalf

    Posted

    I am 58 and have been on this medication for about ten weeks. I am experiencing strange heart rhythm. However, are you by any chance taking statins? I know of someone who has been on stat-ins for a number of years and developed AF as a result.
    • cpwood
      cpwood amanda13022

      Posted

      If you haven't been back to your doctor about the irregular heart rhythm, I would do it immediately and discuss getting off of amlodipine

      .  The details of my issue are above.  I was on an increased dose for less than ten weeks when my Afib started and it has not gone away.  I am not taking statins and am positive it was the amlodipine that caused it. 

  • roman
    roman gandalf

    Posted

    Hi amanda, I would certainly agree with cpwood and get off Amlodipine as soon as possible if not before.   I developed A.F. because of taking this drug for an elevated B.P. and it was a permanent side effect which did not go away after stopping it.   I have now had the catheter ablation procedure which was horrendously painful and nearly fatal as I developed pericardial effusion afterwards and that can stop your heart problems for good.   Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker!   The heart needs cacium ions in order to create the electrical pulse to contract and relax.   Speaking as a layman if you block the calcium getting to were it's needed you're asking for trouble.   (Check role of calcium in heartbeat). Regards Roman.
    • CP23
      CP23 roman

      Posted

      Hi Roman,

      I have been on 5mg of Amlodipine since 2012 and have been noticing a irregular heart rhythm at times and was wondering what would be the risk if I stopped taking it for a few days to notice if it goes away?

      Thanks,

      CP23  

    • cpwood
      cpwood CP23

      Posted

      Not likely to go away. I've been off it for two years and have a pacemaker now.
    • roman
      roman CP23

      Posted

      Very unlikely, I ended up needing catheter ablation after which I nearly died due to developing pericardial effusion.   The problem is no medics will admit to the risk of Amlodipine being a cause of AF; but the heart needs calcium ions in order to generate the electric pulse and Amlodipine is a calcium channel blocker. Speaking as a layman I would say this is asking for trouble.  

          Unfortunately AF takes time to develop and, with me, stopping the tablets did not make it go away. Hope you have better luck.   Roman.  

    • CP23
      CP23 roman

      Posted

      How long were you on it?
    • diana57664
      diana57664 CP23

      Posted

      I was on it for ov er a year.  My legs on ankles would swell to the point I could barely walk but my doctor would do nothing.
    • roman
      roman CP23

      Posted

      About 2 years but problems with my heart rhythm did not start for at least a year.    Other problems were extremely swollen ankles which made walking painful.
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