"Background: High-dose...corticosteroid therapy 'Cortisone, Prednisone & Budesonide, all trade names] has been associated with the development of artrial fibrillation 'irregular heartbeat, which can be fatal].

"Results: There were 385 cases of new-onset artrial fibrillation 'AF] during the study period...The new-onset 'AF] was significantly higher for persons who received ...corticosteroid...within one month...than for those without...

Conclusion: Our findings strongly suggest that patients receiving high-dose corticosteroid therapy had an increased atrial fibrillation."

Note--Other corticoidsteroids include; beclomethasone, betamethasone, dexamethasone, fludrocortisone,flunisolide, hydrocortisone, all trademarked names.

FURTHER NOTE: Whether your physician knows it or not, the principal action of corticosteroids is to inhibit the action of PLA2*, a signalling agent in our cells. As we pointed out in WHAT YOUR DOCTOR DOESN'T KNOW COULD KILL YOU, there are natural plant substances that also inhibit PLA2. Needless to say, their side effects are minor or non-existent. PLA2: Phospholipase A2.

We do not diagnose or prescribe, which is left for the physician. We merely report on discoveries by medical scientists from recognized journals.

Corticosteroids like Cortisone and Prednisone and Irregular Heartbeat Biography

Archives of Internal Medicine, Vol. 166, no. 9, 2006. By: Drs. Van der Hooft, Heeringa, Stricker, et al., Depts. of Epidemiology, Medical Informatics, Erasmus U. Med. Center, Dept. of Resp. Diseases, Inspectorate for Health Care, and Dept. of Clinical Pharmacology, all in The Netherlands, and in one case, Ghent U. Hospital, Belgium.