Frequent drinking is greater risk factor for heart rhythm disorder than binge drinking

Hello, please see the below link for latest findings on links to drinking with atrial fibrillation.

escardio.org/The-ESC/Press-...

[BobD Volunteer]

Thank you Rachel but I bet there will still be those who will not accept this! (no names no pack-drill as we used to say.)

[Finvola]

Thank you for posting this - I remember reading years ago that one should have several alcohol-free days each week to protect health.

It’s all a bit academic for us AFers but what hope is there that younger people who are AF free will listen? I never did. 🙁

[George22 in reply to Finvola]

I’ve been t -total for 34 years and before that a very light drinker, but here I am with AF .but my AF is well controlled with beta blocker thank god

[BobD Volunteer]

Had a quick read though but did not see any mention of all the female hormones peed out by those on birth pills which in some parts of the world is changing the sex of sea creatures ensuring their eventual extinction. When you think that in London for example 80% of water is re-processed and has been through us once already we're all doomed Captain Mainwaring. Live every day as if it were you last. Soon it will be!

[Buffafly]

😱 Stop, stop! Just been to Liverpool and seen a graveyard with the mass grave of orphans who died of cholera before water management was begun. People were told to drink beer because it was safe! My father worked for a water treatment company for some time so I'm aware that nasty stuff is added but it's got to be better than hundreds of children dying at a time. And don't think bottled water is better, it can be contaminated and it comes in plastic bottles 😠

[Buffafly in reply to Buffafly]

healthline.com/health/food-...

[Hidden]

My EP advised me almost 4 yr ago it is best to avoid alcohol. I wasnt a frequent drinker so I just decided I didnt need it. For whatever reason, Im setting a personal record and havent had a fib since spring 2018. I always cross my fingers when I say that as I know it could kick in any time

[Hambo444]

Would need to see the actual research paper to evaluate their methodology and definitions etc., before passing judgement.

[Maggimunro in reply to Hambo444]

I agree entirely

[Sfhmgusa]

I have a glass of wine most evenings having read that the Spanish live longest in Europe because they walk every day have olive oil fish and wine regularly . My afib has been hiding from me since I went on 2 x 50mg flecainide each day. I have no doubt that alcohol is not good for me in excess and things I would be better with 3-4 days alcohol free a week . But I like it with my dinner and so I’m taking the risk

[Surreychica_1 in reply to Sfhmgusa]

Me too. I so like a glass of wine with my supper and I eat very healthily and only one and a half glasses of a small wine glass. Cheers!

[momist in reply to Sfhmgusa]

I'm told that the longest living Italians are those who live in Venice - They HAVE to walk everywhere!

[MarkS]

The research actually showed that compared to mild drinking, those who drank no alcohol at all had an 8.6% greater chance of developing AF, those who drank moderately had a 7.7% greater chance and those who had high amounts had a 21.5% greater chance.

So alcohol in moderation actually reduces your chance of getting AF!

Alternatively this could just be a load of over-hyped bs!!

[dmjtanner in reply to MarkS]

I read that also in the article, so it kind of refutes the premise.

[MarkS in reply to dmjtanner]

It does indeed. The researchers seem desperate to try and prove that any alcohol is bad for you and, very annoyingly for them, the data keeps showing a U shape, i.e. mild and moderate drinking reduce AF and mortality whilst heavy drinking increases both.

[Hidden]

It’s interesting research. It seems to apply to new onset AF rather than those who already have AF. I have had conflicting advice from consultants. One said that it “probably wouldn’t do a lot of harm to have a few drinks”; another said that it was inadvisable to drink at all with AF. There is evidence that drinking increases the risk of

progression from PAF to permanent AF. At the moment I restrict myself to an absolute maximum of 8 units per week (4 pints of beer or 4 small wines), although I most weeks I drink less than that. I never drink on consecutive days. It not easy to say whether my PAF is triggered by alcohol. Usually, nothing happens when I have, say, a pint and a half. However, on two occasions this year PAF has started in the early morning, following alcohol the evening before. It’s not clear if this is coincidence or not; on most occasions this doesn’t happen.

[Hidden]

Ablations do not always "fix" the symptoms of AF for every person. We would always recommend that people avoid the triggers rather than fixing it later.

Prevention is better than cure.

[Hidden in reply to Hidden]

Yes

[Hidden]

Remember, Rachel, that alcohol makes you dehydrated, and most everyone agrees that dehydration is a trigger for Afib. So it may be the dehydration that is ultimately the culprit. So, in this case, it is a cascading effect that is taking place - alcohol creating dehydration, dehydration causing Afib.

- Rick Hyer.

[avma]

I try to drink a lot of water, since my cardiologist told me that your HR drops when you’re hydrated. But no alcohol or coca cola or other sodas for me. 🙋‍♀️

[Guitar335]

My Cardiologist said a regular small drink was fine just don't binge drink....I recently had a period of 50 days with no AFib that ended with a very drunken late night with too much caffeine. Am I an idiot...yes...but I strongly feel that getting drunk and binge drinking is pretty much proven for me personally as a result.