Alcohol would have an almost immediate effect on the heart rate, doubling the risk of occurrence of an episode of atrial fibrillation in the following four hours.
- Each 0.1% increase in blood alcohol concentration is associated with an approximately 40% greater likelihood of an episode of atrial fibrillation.
- For people who drink two glasses of alcohol, the risk of atrial fibrillation is three times greater.
Alcohol consumption has long been linked to heart problems. Studies have shown in particular that cardiac arrhythmias increase with the amount of alcohol consumed or even that regular consumption of small quantities increases the risk of atrial fibrillation, indicating that from this point of view it is better to get drunk once rather than drinking regularly. In this new research, presented on the occasion of the 70th annual scientific session of theAmerican College of Cardiology, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco suggest that consuming alcohol almost immediately increases the risk of an episode of atrial fibrillation (AF), which is characterized by an irregular heartbeat, often accelerated, which can cause palpitations, fatigue or even shortness of breath. Over time, this can lead to heart failure and stroke, and even dementia if left untreated.
The higher the consumption, the greater the risk of AF.
Data show that a single drink of alcohol doubles the risk of AF within four hours. For people who drink two glasses, this risk is three times greater. These results were obtained using an alcohol sensor placed on the ankles of the participants which made it possible to monitor their alcohol consumption in real time. This indicated that each 0.1% increase in blood alcohol concentration is associated with an approximately 40% greater likelihood of an episode of atrial fibrillation. These sensors have also demonstrated that total alcohol concentration over time predicts the risk of developing AF.
“Alcohol is the most abused drug in the world and there is still a lot we don’t understand about what it does to our bodies and, in particular, to our hearts.advanced Gregory Marcus, cardiologist, professor of medicine at the University of California at San Francisco and lead author of the study. Based on our data, we found that alcohol can strongly influence the likelihood of an episode of atrial fibrillation occurring within a few hours of its consumption, and that the higher this is, the greater the risk of having a cardiac event increases.”
A real-time study
This study involved 100 participants with paroxysmal, or occasional, atrial fibrillation that tends to go away in a short period of time. They were all 64 years old on average. Each of these volunteers was equipped with a wearable heart monitor that constantly monitored their heart rate and a sensor placed on the ankle that the volunteers had to activate with each alcoholic drink consumed. Blood samples were also taken to precisely measure alcohol consumption. More than half of the participants (56) had an episode of atrial fibrillation during the four-week study. “This is the first study to objectively demonstrate and quantify the real-time relationship between alcohol consumption and episodes of atrial fibrillation.welcomed Gregory Marcus. Although this study was limited to people with occasional atrial fibrillation, it is reasonable to extrapolate that in many people alcohol may be the primary trigger for a first episode..”
The researchers indicate that other factors may play a role in this correlation. They note for example that alcohol consumers are more accustomed to eating foods high in sodium while others drink alcohol because of a feeling of stress.
Conflicting studies
This work also runs counter to other studies that have reported a potentially protective role of alcohol on heart health when consumed in moderation. A study, also presented on the occasion of the 70th annual scientific session of theAmerican College of Cardiology notably indicated that drinking in moderation would calm the heartbeat. “It is commonly believed that alcohol is ‘good’ or ‘healthy’ for the heart, based on observational studies, but this relates to coronary heart disease and heart attacks. These new data present another perspective, regarding the overall risks versus benefits of alcohol consumed in moderation.said the cardiologist. But all the data comes together and is very clear: those who drink more have a higher risk of heart attack and death.”
For the researchers, these results are a good example of the differentiated effects of alcohol depending on the consumer. Those not at high risk for the harmful effects of alcohol might benefit from moderate drinking, while for those at risk, like the participants in this study, moderate drinking is bad for their hearts. The researchers plan to conduct further studies to identify other factors that may influence the relationship between alcohol and atrial fibrillation.
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