Hi there,

I just wondered, is it necessary for those on prednisone long term (over 3 years for me now), to do a good check up of the heart? I take 20 mg now.

My last visit was 2,5 years ago.

No one has ever suggested it to me. I've been on pred the better part of 14 years.

Long term prednisone can deplete potassium and magnesium over time. This can then lead to arrhythmias in those who have either

1) genetic tendency to long QT syndrome

2) or in those patients, who become dehydrated, low in potassium and magnesium and/or taking OTHER drugs with QT potential.
These factors may add up to a long QT event.

Here is a link about QT...
http://www.crediblemeds.org/

Today this resource is very active with lots of information. But just 10 yrs ago this topic was not well understood.

Steroids also cause weight gain, and increases in blood sugar. This may lead to type II diabetes, which also has some heart risks. People puff up alot on steroids, and this may cause heart failure.

An internist should be able to do an EKG and see any changes there, and if they think you need to...they can refer you on to
Cardiology.

Thank you.
Well, I do have weigth gain (over 60 pounds, but I was terribly underweight so I'm still not fat. Kind of chubby and puffy though, but within normal BMI range).
I also have DM 2 due to prednisone. And a whole lot of other stuff.

Does QT have something to do with ST; I have a ST...depression I think it was, or maybe I'm wrong. ST something

I also take a lot of other medicine with "QT" in the instructions, no idea what they mean.