A small amount of alcoholic beverages once daily is associated with an increased risk of atrial fibrillation-ScienceDaily

Study published today (Wednesday) European Heart Journal [1]Shows that drinking alcohol only once a day increases the risk of atrial fibrillation by 16% over a median follow-up of nearly 14 years compared to drinking no alcohol at all. discovered.This means that 4 out of 100 Teetotalists can develop atrial fibrillation during the study period, but more than 75% of them consume alcohol from slightly higher amounts per week than alcoholic beverages. 1 cup a day [2].. Researchers have classified one alcoholic beverage as containing 12 g of ethanol. This is equivalent to a glass of wine (120 ml), beer (330 ml), or 40 ml of spirits.

It is well known that people who drink large amounts of alcohol on a regular basis are at increased risk of developing heart failure, which can increase the incidence of atrial fibrillation. Some studies have shown that people who have never drank alcohol have a slightly higher risk of heart disease. They often show that this risk is reduced for those who drink moderate amounts, then rises sharply as alcohol is consumed, creating a “J” shape on the graph. Until now, it was not clear if this also applies to atrial fibrillation.

However, in a current study led by Professor Renate Schnabel, a consulting cardiologist at the University Heart and Vascular Center in Hamburg-Eppendorff (Germany), researchers found that low doses of alcohol reduced the risk of heart failure compared to tea totalers. We found that it was related, with no similar “J” -shaped risk reduction for atrial fibrillation. This suggests that heart failure did not cause an increased risk of atrial fibrillation in people who drink small amounts of alcohol.

Professor Schnabel said: “As far as we know, this is the largest study of alcohol consumption and the long-term incidence of atrial fibrillation in the community. Previous studies did not have enough power to consider this question. Alcohol intake And its relationship to other heart and vascular problems such as heart attack and heart failure. Our study can demonstrate that even very low regular alcohol consumption can increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. ..

“These findings are important. Regular consumption of alcohol, a” one glass of wine “to protect the heart, is considered a risk, as is often recommended by the general press, for example. It should not be proposed without balancing the interests. All heart and vascular diseases, including atrial fibrillation. “

The researchers analyzed information from 107,845 people participating in five community-based studies in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark and Italy. Participants underwent a medical examination when they participated in the study between 1982 and 2010 and provided information on their medical history, lifestyle (including alcohol and tobacco consumption), employment, and education level. A total of 100,092 participants had no atrial fibrillation at enrollment and had a median age of approximately 48 years (range 24-97 years).

During a median follow-up of nearly 14 years, 5,854 people developed atrial fibrillation. The association between alcohol consumption and the risk of atrial fibrillation was similar for all types of alcoholic beverages in men and women.

Researchers found that with increased alcohol intake, the risk of atrial fibrillation increased by 16% compared to Teetotalists found in people who drank only one drink a day. We have found that the risk increases. Drinking up to 2 cups a day increased the risk by 28%, and those who drank 4 or more cups increased this by up to 47%.

The exact mechanism by which moderate amounts of alcohol can cause atrial fibrillation is unknown. Studies show that short-term heavy drinking can cause “holiday heart syndrome” in some people, and in some patients with atrial fibrillation, small amounts of alcohol can cause episodes of arrhythmia.

The limits of the study include the fact that study participants reported the type and amount of DUI, which can lead to underreporting. With the information available, researchers were unable to investigate the effects of drinking drinking. Some episodes of atrial fibrillation may be asymptomatic and may not have been reported. It may not be possible to generalize the results to other populations, as only adults throughout Europe are included in the analysis. Because this study was observational, it can only show an association between alcohol intake and atrial fibrillation, not that alcohol causes atrial fibrillation.

In the accompanying editorial [3]Jorge A. Wong and David Konen of the Institute for Population Health at McMaster University in Hamilton, Canada, said the study “has made an important contribution to understanding the relationship between alcohol intake, especially in the low spectrum, and accidental AF. I have. ” A significant relationship was identified between alcohol and AF, and even small amounts of alcohol were associated with a small but increased risk of developing AF.

“With recent randomized trials showing that reduced alcohol intake leads to reduced recurrence of atrial fibrillation, these data show that reduced alcohol consumption is important for both prevention and management of atrial fibrillation. It suggests that there is a possibility. Importantly, low to moderate reduction. Alcohol intake, which may prevent atrial fibrillation, is associated with small amounts of alcohol for other cardiovascular outcomes. You need to balance it with potential beneficial relevance. Until then, each individual is concerned about whether it is worthwhile and safe to consume up to one drink of alcohol per day. Must make decisions based on its own best knowledge. “

Note:

[1] “Alcohol consumption, cardiac biomarkers, risk and adverse consequences of atrial fibrillation,” Dora Csengeri et al. European Heart Journal.. doi: 10.1093 / eurheartj / ehaa953

[2] Data on absolute risk are not included in the research treatise. Absolute risk was calculated using detailed information from researchers and the University of Cambridge Winton Center for Risk and Evidence Communication RealRisk Web Tools. https://url.wintonuk/p6lcb

[3] “Alcohol Consumption, Atrial Fibrillation, and Cardiovascular Disease: Finding the Right Balance,” Jorge A. Wong and David Konen. European Heart Journal.. doi: 10.1093 / eurheartj / ehaa955