The Anonymous Widower

Is There A Connection Between Uncomplicated Pancolonic Diverticular Disease And Atrial Fibrilation?

I asked Google AI the question in the title of this post and received this answer.

Yes, there appears to be a potential connection, with some studies suggesting an association between diverticular disease and a higher risk of cardiovascular issues, though the link is not definitively established for uncomplicated pancolonic diverticular disease and atrial fibrillation specifically. Research indicates chronic inflammation in diverticular disease could be a contributing factor, increasing the risk for both cardiovascular disease and potentially atrial fibrillation. A case report noted a higher than expected incidence of vagal atrial fibrillation in patients with diverticular disease, but this association needs more robust study to confirm and understand its clinical implications

Is it relevant that I have both conditions?

Google AI cites this paper on National Institutes Of Heath, which is entitled Association of Diverticular Disease Of The Colon And Vagal Atrial Fibrillation.

I asked Google AI “What is Vagal Atrial Fibrillation?” and received this reply.

Vagal atrial fibrillation (AF) is a form of atrial fibrillation triggered by an overactive vagal nerve, which is part of the parasympathetic nervous system. It typically occurs at rest or during sleep and is associated with high physical activity, such as in athletes, and can be sparked by factors like large meals or alcohol consumption. Diagnosis relies on electrocardiogram (ECG) findings showing vagotonia and clinical context. Treatments include lifestyle changes, medications with anticholinergic properties, and catheter ablation to target the ganglionated plexi responsible for the arrhythmia.

I am not one for high physical activity, large meals and I don’t consume much alcohol.

The original paper cites this second paper on National Institues of Health, which is entitled Diverticular Disease Of The Colon And Gallstones In New Zealand And England.

This is the abstract of that paper.

The clinical presentation and subsequent treatment of 160 consecutive patients with proven diverticular disease of the colon from the Auckland Hospital, New Zealand were compared with 182 consecutive patients admitted to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, London. There were significant differences in sex incidence, in the ages of the male patients at presentation, patient symptoms, extent of disease and methods of surgical treatment. These probably reflect differences in the types of National Health Services of the two countries, rather than differences in the natural history of diverticular disease of the colon. Overall, the 342 patients studied show a very good correlation with other large series published over the last 10 years. This study confirms the previously reported association between diverticular disease of the colon and gallstones. It confirms that gallstones are more common in female patients with or without diverticular disease. It suggests that Auckland patients with gallstones are more likely to have had a cholecystectomy than London patients. The possible role of dietary fiber in the aetiology of both gallstones and diverticular disease of the colon is discussed.

Note.

  1. I have had gallstones removed by endoscopy.
  2. They were removed in Homerton Hospital, which is linked to St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.
  3. I wrote about their removal in Goodbye To My Gallstones.

I was certainly male last time I looked, although I can’t father any children, as I’ve had a vasectomy.

 

September 26, 2025 Posted by | Health | , , , , | Leave a comment

My Family And Lunchtime Naps

Consider.

  • My father was a great one for a lunchtime nap of perhaps thirty minutes after his sandwiches and a cup of tea in his print works in Wood Green.
  • I can still see him sitting there on a wartime Utility dining-chair fast asleep.
  • As my paternal grandfather was a professional alcoholic, I suspect he slept a lot. But whether he took naps, I do not know.
  • I’ve always been prone to fall asleep, but as I’ve got older, I seem to do it more often.
  • My middle son, also had a nap after Christmas Lunch last year. But was that just coincidence.

These are questions, that I’ve asked Google AI.

Are There Any Medical Benefits Of The Spanish Siesta?

Google AI said.

Yes, there are potential medical benefits associated with the Spanish siesta, which is a short afternoon nap. Studies suggest that siestas can improve cognitive function, mood, and cardiovascular health. A well-timed and appropriately short siesta can help reduce stress, improve memory consolidation, and even lower blood pressure.

That seems fairly positive.

Will A Spanish Siesta Help Atrial Fibrillation?

I ask this question, as I have atrial fibrillation and I was told, it caused my stroke.

Google AI said.

Spanish siesta, or daytime napping, is not a guaranteed or recommended treatment for atrial fibrillation (AFib). While some studies suggest a link between napping and AFib risk, the relationship is complex and depends on nap duration and individual factors. Short naps (15-30 minutes) may be associated with a lower risk, while longer naps could potentially increase the risk, especially in those with hypertension.

As I don’t have hypertension, it could be positive for me!

 

Does Atrial Fibrilation Run In Families?

Google AI said.

Yes, atrial fibrillation (AFib) can run in families, meaning it can be inherited. While many cases of AFib are linked to lifestyle factors, age, and other medical conditions, a significant portion of individuals with AFib, especially those with no clear cause, have a family history of the condition. Studies suggest that up to 30% of people with AFib of unknown cause have a family history of the condition.

As my father’s medical history seems fairly similar to mine, I wouldn’t be surprised if he had had it.

Is there A Connection Between Atrial Fibrilation And Coeliac Disease?

Google AI said.

Yes, there is an association between atrial fibrillation (AF) and celiac disease (CD), with studies indicating an increased risk of AF in individuals with CD. This connection is thought to be linked to the inflammatory nature of both conditions.

I have both and I suspect my father did too. We both had a serious stroke at around sixty.

My father had a second, which killed him a few years later. Modern pharmaceuticals have probably kept me alive.

July 19, 2025 Posted by | Health | , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Odd Sugary Snack May Be Good For You (But Lay Off Sugary Drinks)

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article in The Tunes.

 

I shall be discussing this research with my cardiologist. My relationship with him is as doctor/patient, researcher/lab-rat and just friends. I am also coeliac and very much feel that I need to take the odd sugary snack to keep my energy levels up. I also had a serious stroke at 64, thirteen years ago, due to atrial fibrillation.

Sweden and coeliac disease could be another complicating factor here, as Sweden went the wrong way to try to eliminate coeliac disease after WW2 and just created a lot more.

I found about this Swedish research in a peer-reviewed paper entitled Coeliac Disease: Can We Avert The Impending Epidemic In India? in the Indian Journal of Research Medicine.

A History Of Sugary Snacks And Drinks And Me

Growing up in London, after World War 2, I didn’t get much sugar, as it was rationed.

But I did put it in tea and coffee.

I never ate many cakes, except for some chocolate ones.

My habit of not eating cakes and proper puddings really annoyed my mother-in-law.

I was a sickly child and I didn’t really get better until I was found to be coeliac at 50.

I am fairly certain, that my consumption of sugary snacks has got more, as I’ve got older.

But because American drinks, sweets and snacks could use sugar made from wheat, I don’t touch any American sweetened products.

But I haven’t put on any weight, since I was fifty.

Thanks to the likes of Leon, Marks and Spencer and the cafe at Worksop station for excellent sugary gluten-free snacks to keep me going!

December 9, 2024 Posted by | Health | , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Nitrous Oxide–Induced Vitamin B12 Deficiency

The title of this post, is the same as that of this peer-reviewed paper on the National Library of Medicine.

This is the abstract.

Nitrous oxide is a gas that is odorless, colorless, and has a sweet taste at room temperature. Nitrous oxide has several uses, including in surgery and dentistry (referred to as “laughing gas”), in automotive racing, and in aerosol spray propellants. The aerosol spray propellants that typically use nitrous oxide are whipped cream canisters and cooking sprays. Unfortunately, these over-the-counter household items are a source of nitrous oxide that can be used for recreational use. The most popular is the use of industrial-grade canisters having the slang term “whippets.” The nitrous oxide can be extracted by pushing the nozzle down slightly to the side and catching the released gas with a balloon. The contents of the balloon can then be directly inhaled, giving an instant feeling of euphoria. This is not a benign means to achieve a euphoric state but can cause severe nitrous oxide–induced B12 deficiency, which is presented in this case report.

An estimated 800,000 young adults abuse inhalants every year, and almost 11% of high school seniors report using inhalants at least once in their lifetime . Heavy inhalant abuse can result in a variety of side effects, including cardiac arrhythmias, hypoxia, metabolic acidosis, and neurologic deficits. Of all inhalants, nitrous oxide is particularly toxic due to its conversion of the active monovalent form of vitamin B12 to its inactive bivalent form. We present a case of subacute combined degeneration of the spinal cord due to nitrous oxide–induced vitamin B12 deficiency.

Basically, don’t inhale nitrous oxide, unless it’s being administered by a anaesthetist or a dentist.

Interestingly, because I was an undiagnosed coeliac my vitamin B12 was running on empty for much of the first fifty years of my life.

As my B12 was so low and didn’t really respond to regular injections, I was sent off to Addenbrooke’s, where they quickly diagnosed coeliac disease.

I wonder what would happen to an undiagnosed coeliac, who was low in B12, who got addicted to nitrous oxide.

The abstract implies that inhalants can cause cardiac arrhythmias, which has this Wikipedia entry, where this section talks about atrial fibrillation.

Arrhythmia affects millions of people. In Europe and North America, as of 2014, atrial fibrillation affects about 2% to 3% of the population. Atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter resulted in 112,000 deaths in 2013, up from 29,000 in 1990. However, in most recent cases concerning the SARS-CoV‑2 pandemic, cardiac arrhythmias are commonly developed and associated with high morbidity and mortality among patients hospitalized with the COVID-19 infection, due to the infection’s ability to cause myocardial injury. Sudden cardiac death is the cause of about half of deaths due to cardiovascular disease and about 15% of all deaths globally. About 80% of sudden cardiac death is the result of ventricular arrhythmias. Arrhythmias may occur at any age but are more common among older people. Arrhythmias may also occur in children; however, the normal range for the heart rate varies with age.

Doctors tell me, that my stroke was caused by atrial fibrillation.

 

November 9, 2023 Posted by | Health | , , , , | Leave a comment

Coeliac Disease And Atrial Fibrillation

I am 75 and coeliac and I had or have atrial fibrillation. Cardiologists tell me that, the atrial fibrillation led to my stroke in 2011.

I should also say, that my father was an undiagnosed coeliac and he died from a stroke younger than I am now.

I typed the title of this post into Doctor Google.

I found this paper on Cureus, which is entitled Celiac Disease and Risk of Atrial Fibrillation: A Meta-Analysis and Systematic Review.

I will show two paragraphs from the Abstract,

This is the Introduction.

Several studies have found celiac disease may be associated with a variety of cardiac manifestations. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common arrhythmias that can cause significant morbidity. However, the risk of atrial fibrillation in patients with celiac disease according to epidemiological studies remains unclear. The aim of this meta-analysis study is to assess the risk of atrial fibrillation in patients diagnosed with celiac disease compared to controls.

And this is the Conclusion.

A significant association between celiac disease and risk of atrial fibrillation was reported in this study. There is a 38% increased risk of atrial fibrillation. Additional studies are needed to clarify the mechanistic link between atrial fibrillation and celiac disease. Some of the limitations of this study are that all were observational studies, some were medical registry-based and there was high heterogeneity between studies.

One of the paper’s conclusions is more research needs to be done.

I know that I have a supercharged immune system, in that it seems to protect me from flu and the dreaded covids and it gave the AstraZeneca vaccine a good kicking. Research from Nottingham University has also shown, that coeliacs on a gluten-free diet have a 25 % lower risk of cancer compared to the general population.

So I asked Doctor Google if there was any link between the immune system and atrial fibrillation.

I found this paper on PubMed, which is entitled The Role Of Immune Cells In Atrial Fibrillation.

This was the Abstract.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common sustained arrhythmia, but its mechanisms are poorly understood. Recently, accumulating evidence indicates a link between immune response and AF, but the precise mechanism remains unclear. It should be noticed that the relationship between immune response and AF is complex. Whether immune response is a cause or a result of AF is unclear. As the functional unit of the immune system, immune cells may play a vital role in the immunological pathogenesis of AF. In this review, we briefly highlight the evidence on relationships between immune cells and AF, and discuss their potential roles in AF pathogenesis. We hope this review could provide new orientation and enlightenment for further research on AF mechanism.

One of the paper’s conclusions is more research needs to be done.

Conclusion

I feel a lot of research concerning coeliacs, their immune systems and atrial fibrillation should be done and this could lead to a better understanding of atrial fibrillation.

 

September 28, 2022 Posted by | Health | , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Increased Risk Of Atrial Fibrillation In Patients With Coeliac Disease: A Nationwide Cohort Study

I was looking for something else and found this medical paper on the web site of Professor Joe West at Nottingham University.

As I am coeliac, have atrial fibrillation and had a severe stroke from which have made a good recovery. I thought I would post the link, so that others might read what is said.

If my GP or myself had known of the link, my life would probably have been very different.

September 2, 2021 Posted by | Health | , , , | Leave a comment