New research provides the first evidence that alcohol can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation, even in small amounts. Furthermore, so coulda common cardiac arrhythmiaoccur within a few hours of drinking alcohol. The results may contradict the prevailing opinion that alcohol can be heart-protective, as the study authors report. According to their theory, reducing or avoiding alcohol could help mitigate such harmful effects in at-risk individuals.
The prevalence of atrial fibrillation caused by alcohol?
In contrast to the fact that atrial fibrillation is associated with heavy alcohol consumption, just one alcoholic drink could be enough to increase the risk. Accordingly, the new study results show that the occurrence of heart problems after drinking alcohol is neither random nor unpredictable. Instead, according to the study authors, there may be identifiable and modifiable ways to prevent acute cardiac arrhythmia. Typically, atrial fibrillation can lead to loss of quality of life, significant healthcare costs, stroke and ultimately death. In addition, chronic alcohol consumption can be a predictor of the disease. The research focused on 100 patients with documented atrial fibrillation who consumed at least one alcoholic drink per month. Each wore an electrocardiogram (EKG) monitor for about four weeks and pressed a button every time they drank a standard-sized drink. Participants consumed a median of one drink per day throughout the study period.
Drinking two or more drinks within the previous four hours during the study tripled the likelihood of a heart arrhythmia. However, the authors note limitations, including the fact that patients may have forgotten to press their monitor buttons. Furthermore, the research has been limited to individuals with established conditions rather than the general population. But the effects seem to be fairly linear. The more alcohol the subjects consumed, the higher the risk of acute atrial fibrillation. The observations inthis studyreflect what patients have been reporting for decades. However, this is the first objective, measurable evidence that modifiable exposure can acutely influence probability.
