One daily alcoholic beverage associated with the risk of atrial fibrillation: Study

A study of about 108,000 people found that people who regularly drink moderate amounts of alcohol are at increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a condition in which the heart beats with an abnormal rhythm.

In this study, published in the European Heart Journal, drinking only once a day increased the risk of atrial fibrillation over an average (central) follow-up period of approximately 14 hours compared to no alcohol. It was found to increase by 16%. Year.

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 have shown a link between alcohol intake and other heart and vascular problems such as heart attack and heart failure, but they were not strong enough to investigate this question. Our study can demonstrate that even very low regular alcohol intake 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.

Follow more stories above Facebook And twitter

This story was published from the Wire Agency Feed without changing the text.