Does your health plan include high doses of steroids? Heart problems could result, depending on the steroid. Heart irregularity and steroids are the focus of a significant new study.
High doses of corticosteroids often are used to bring down inflammation quickly in people with arthritis, asthma or allergies. A new study indicates they also may bring on changes in heartbeat. The study showed taking corticosteroids, such as prednisone, increased the likelihood of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) – the most common type of irregular heartbeat.
Irregular beating means blood is not being pumped efficiently, causing fatigue, shortness of breath or difficulty exercising, as well as possibly causing blood to pool, clot and lead to a stroke. AF increases the risk of stroke fivefold – a concern for those with inflammatory forms of arthritis, who already have a higher risk of stroke.
In the study, researchers followed 7,983 adults for 10 years. Those who used corticosteroids were nearly four times more likely to have AF compared with those who did not, but dose was key, rather than length of treatment. Taking daily doses of 7.5 milligrams (mg) or more of prednisone – whether oral, injected or inhaled – raised the risk to six times. Those taking fewer than 7.5 mg had less than two times the risk.
Corticosteroids may alter the flow of potassium in heart muscle, which affects the electrical activity and causes irregular beating of the heart’s two upper chambers.
