Coincidence? Wearing mask brings on Afib & high blood pressure?

Posted by yorlik @yorlik, Aug 4, 2020

So been a few years since my atrial valve replacement. Had Afib for first 4 months after surgery, then went away. I talked Dr out of Xarelto. I very occassionally will get afib for a few hours at a time, no clue why but not an issue to me. Now with covid-19 and masks required everywhere, I occassionally wear one, not often.

Had first family Dr appointment for checkup 2 years+ after surgery; wore mask at Dr office for 40 minutes. My BP is typically 138/78 - at drs it was 190/100! Never before like that! Then 1 hr later we went to Krogers, wore a mask for 40 minutes before I couldn't stand it anymore. Hard to rebreath all that CO2! Got home and had full blown Afib for next 24 hours! No energy, hard to breath.

I believe wearing that damn mask caused my high BP AND my LONG afib attack! Rebreathing that CO2, starving my body of oxygen.

Anyone have opinions?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Heart Rhythm Conditions Support Group.

robbie1956 | @robbie1956 | Oct 14, 2020

yorlik

I have PVCs, controlled HBP and a compensated right artery blockage....I wear the most seen blue 3 ply masks...sometimes I think I’m short of breath, but it’s not so.....my PVCs were happening long before this COVID Curse.....I feel at least somewhat comforted in knowing that wearing a mask protects me, my wife and others....however, I do find breathing with a KN95 mask too difficult...I tried one, and wore it once....the other 3 are still unwrapped.....but as for regular blue surgical masks, there shouldn’t be a problem.....maybe wear it a little at a time to get used to it....believe me, I hate wearing them, they itch my nose at times, and they definitely fog up my glasses, so I have to take off my glasses when I wear the mask.....but hey, it’s worth it....and maybe if everyone hangs in there and wear them, we can overcome......best of luck to you......

robbie1956 | @robbie1956 | Oct 14, 2020

In reply to @slynnb "Absolutely not true that mask wearing causing atrial fibrillation or hypoxia.. It is also BS that..." + (show)

@slynnb

Absolutely not true that mask wearing causing atrial fibrillation or hypoxia.. It is also BS that most people with asthma can't wear masks. For the love of heaven, allergists often RECOMMEND MASKS be work by asthmatics during times of pollen, pollution, flu season etc. People who have so much anxiety and/or are prone to hysteria or panic attacks that they claim to be dizzy or sick when wearing a mask need mental health treatment. Do you think doctors and nurses - and I assure you, some of them even have asthma and heart conditions themselves - work for hours in surgery wearing masks and don't become ill? I realize the propaganda is rife. I also realize that the lack of leadership in this country - where public health decisions are made by politicians with their own agendas and not PROVEN HEALTH PROTOCOLS that have virtually halted COVID-19 in other localities -- is rife. It is selfish and irresponsible in a time of pandemic to not wear a mask. Unfortunately, the absolutely false, bogus and despicable "Plandemic" - featuring a researcher I remember from my own work was thoroughly discredited and her "study" absolutely shown to be the result of contamination, not a virus "discovery" in 2009 - fed the dangerous-to-health lies about mask wearing. Here is information about the silly untrue but oft repeated "information" about masks "dangers" from a REAL and highly trained physician,Jennifer Kasten, MD, (pathologist with degrees in medicine from the Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, infectious disease epidemiology (CID) from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, postgraduate work in the mathematical modeling of infectious disease at Oxford University and MORE) :
Mikovits states that a mask causes the wearer to re-inhale their own carbon dioxide -- "a toxic gas!" Fortunately, it's not a steel-lined trap. Just as you can suck air in through a mask rather easily, so can you exhale air out through it. If you'd like to feel the difference, clamp your hand over your mouth and nose and take a stroll. Also, exhaled air is about 16% oxygen, versus atmospheric air which sits at 21%. It's not pure carbon dioxide, like the clouds on Venus.
You also cannot infect yourself with your own virus. If it comes out of you (i.e., virus droplets in exhaled breath) putting it back in you won't make you any sicker. Being exposed to the atmosphere -- in fact, leaving its host cell at all -- is a very precarious thing for a virus. It risks drying out its protective moisture coat and falling apart. Taking a brief, exciting tour out your nose, into your mask, and back inside does not energize it, but instead risks inactivating it entirely." https://www.medpagetoday.com/infectiousdisease/generalinfectiousdisease/86461

Jump to this post

slynb

Thanks...very interesting reply.....

scottij | @scottij | Oct 15, 2020

I had a heart transplant 9 months ago and wear a mask outside in our neighborhood, at the local lab location, on the episodic trip to the grocery store or Home Depot. I have had no issues with wearing a mask at all. Therefore my single data point offsets your single input and then we can conclude there is no issue, right? LOL. I am sorry wearing a mask brings you so much discomfort. To what extent does anxiety play an issue in your feelings which are clearly real to you?

peacequeen | @peacequeen | Nov 2, 2020

I literally was just telling my friends about the huge spike in my BP at drs office today. My BP is very low and today because I had to wear a mask it was 150/70. Dr refused to admit it was the mask. He said we will take it again before you leave. So after an hour with a mask on the 2nd reading was 166! I don't want to hear that these masks are harmless. I know my body and that BP reading is proof. I just ordered a BP cuff so I can prove the mask caused this increase.

mayofeb2020 | @mayofeb2020 | Nov 2, 2020

In reply to @peacequeen "I literally was just telling my friends about the huge spike in my BP at drs..." + (show)

@peacequeen. My bp always goes up at doctor's office.. The white coat hypertension, with or without mask. Anxiety can cause bp to go up.

dsisko | @dsisko | Nov 9, 2020

I’ve had a lung disease in the past that damaged my lungs. I find it difficult to wear some masks but not all. If one type of mask causes you problems, try a different type. One mask I used was horrible but I’ve settled on one that causes no problems at all. I also have high BP in doctors office and normal at home. This is common.

jmb73 | @jmb73 | Nov 10, 2020

I am 76 and have a low immune system, AFIB, COPD, Asthma, Sjogren's, orthostatic blood pressure (it goes up when I stand) and numerous other illnesses. 2 years ago after being admitted to the hospital every other month, I was in trauma 1 and in very bad shape. My pulmonologist told me to wear a mask all the time when I was out and to not shake hands or hug people (I was a hugger). He said the next time I was admitted, I would be in for at least 2 weeks. I started wearing a mask and following my doctors very difficult orders, and I have not been in the hospital. I wear cloth masks and paper masks. With all my heart, lung and blood pressure problems, the masks haven't caused me any problems. They have prevented me from having problems.

phoenix1647 | @phoenix1647 | Jan 2, 2021

In reply to @mayofeb2020 "@peacequeen. My bp always goes up at doctor's office.. The white coat hypertension, with or without..." + (show)

I have had afib and high blood pressure for will over 20 years, long beffore having to wear a mask . I too think my rise in BP is totaly related to the white coat syndrone. I have no idea what triggers my afib which can last from less that one minute to well over 2 hours. I .
take my BP first thing every morning. Every two weeks I send those charts my my PCP. Most times my readings are in the normal range and we do not get exicted..I self monitor my health every day and know when my afib is starting. If you need, carry a little note bood with you to record notes when you think bp and afib are starting. If you are not sure you are having en episode, write it down anyway. Keep your PCP informed.

lindalc | @lindalc | Feb 11, 2021

In reply to @yorlik "slynb thank you for your detailed reply. You did not need to correct first reply; it..." + (show)

I had same thing happen to me. My theory is, if sleep apnea can cause Afib so can a face mask. These people that are nonbelievers are acting like we are looking for excuses to not wear one. I am a firm believer in masks. I had Afib every day (3days in a row). I went out shopping with mask on,. after the last day, the following day I had a fib on and off for 24 hours. I won’t be going out where I have to wear face mask for extended time. I learned my lesson!

Amanda Burnett | @amandaa | Feb 12, 2021

@lindalc Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect! I have personal friends and Connect has several members that feel the same way about the masks. I am not advising anyone to not wear a mask, but there have been a few articles talking about masks causing anxiety which could further heart palpitations.

Have you talked to your medical team your concerns?

View More View Less

Please sign in or register to post a reply.