To Your Health: Alcohol can trigger AFib

Over the next several weeks, through the holidays and New Year, many will have reason to celebrate. With that celebration, often comes a toast or two.

While alcohol is part of many feasts and traditions, it can lead to health problems, especially if consumed in excess, and the heart’s rhythm is among the processes it can alter. Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is the most common type of heart rhythm disorder, and AFib patients have historically identified alcohol as a variable associated with episodes of irregular heartbeat.

Until a few years ago, the relationship between alcohol and AFib was observed anecdotally, but recent research shows alcohol may have an immediate effect on AFib risk and occurrence. AFib affects about three million Americans, and it can range from mild to severe and be intermittent or chronic.

Symptoms of AFib include:

• Fluttering or rapid heartbeat (heart palpitations)

• Fatigue

• Dizziness or lightheadedness

• Chest pain

• Shortness of breath

Medication, device implantation and other interventions are available to treat AFib, and you can live a healthy, active lifestyle by managing your condition with your care team. Left untreated, however, AFib can worsen and lead to blood clots, stroke and heart failure.

According to a 2021 study published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, alcohol appears to significantly increase the chance that an episode of AFib will occur.

The study observed 100 patients with intermittent AFib and monitored their rhythm when they drank alcohol during a four-week period. Among them, more than half had an episode of AFib during the study. While the study was limited to people already diagnosed with AFib, there’s reason to believe alcohol can be the main trigger for an initial episode in many people.

There are, of course, other factors that affect heart health. This time of year, alcohol may be coupled with foods that are high in sodium or may be consumed in an attempt to relieve stress, so the main trigger in real-life situations may be harder to determine.

The bottom line is, drinking only in moderation or not at all, is probably best for our heart health. Certainly, if you have AFib or have any other conditions or history that raise your risks for AFib, evidence suggests minimizing your alcohol intake will help you avoid episodes.

Even those studies that, in the past, have shown moderate drinking may help ward off coronary artery disease and perhaps heart attack apply strictly to only moderate consumption. Drinking heavily has been clearly observed to raise the risks of heart attack and death. And if alcohol has triggered an episode of AFib for you in the past, it’s best to stay away from it, for obvious reasons.

So, this holiday season, if you have intermittent AFib, try to keep your toasts to a minimum, or raise a non-alcoholic glass to commemorate the moment. If you have no signs of AFib, remember that the maximum recommended daily amount of alcohol consumption is only one standard drink (12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1.5 ounces of liquor).

And if you feel fluttering in your chest or experience any other potential symptoms of AFib, talk to your doctor. Managing your condition will be key to having happy holidays and good heart health.

Dr. Alfred Casale, a cardiothoracic surgeon, is chief medical officer for surgical services for Geisinger and chair of the Geisinger Heart and Vascular Institute. Readers may write to him via ae@www.timesleader.com.