Alcohol and AF: theguardian.com/society... - Atrial Fibrillati...
Alcohol and AF
A case of stating the blinking obvious surely for many of us. Good old Grauniad. lol 😁
Obviously not to many & especially in these times of Lockdowns many people are drinking daily so the more and wider it’s reported hopefully the more may be deterred.
The point is that this a large scale study of people aged from 24 to 92 and therefore should settle the question of whether there is a link between alcohol and AF.
I drank 30+ units a week. I had Atrial fibrillation. Fortunately 8mths later I had a successful cardioversion. At that point I focussed on what to do prevent a relapse (50% chance in a year). So I gave up alcohol, and 18 mths later my heart is still in normal sinus rhythm. I realise I am only a sample of one.
Bbbbbb but! The article isn’t about alcohol being a trigger once you’ve got AF (we all know that it can be), it’s more about it’s being a contributory cause of developing AF in the first place. Not enough people realise that, I certainly didn’t when I was a young party animal 😂
How’s your back today Bob?
It has been known for many years that binge drinking is the single most likely cause of AF in under 30/40s but that age group still think they are invincible . Back is tiny bit better thanks, not taken any opiates yet today.
From the article
" The lifetime risk of developing atrial fibrillation ranges from about 23% to 38% depending on a person’s health"
Frightening numbers !
Paul
The way things are reported tend to sensationalise the truth, do you know what this means, it that 23 to 38% of people will develop AF or is it that of say the 1% that develop AF will increase by 23 to 38%.Taking 1000 people, of which 10 people will get AF, the first interpretation will result in 230 to 380 getting AF whilst the second will result in 12 to 14 people getting it
Yes that is frightening, so 16% increase.... would mean .16x23% = about 27%; and .16 x .38= about 44%. Lifetime risk would increase then to 27% to 44%....something to think about.
Thank you for posting this. Interesting to read that even small amounts of alcohol can increase the chances of developing AF.
And AF is possible if you have never drank alcohol.
Yes it is, but why increase that inherent risk?
I think that’s what is SO hard for many to get their heads around. There was a time in my 30’s when a good bottle of wine with dinner was the norm. Now a very small glass is the exception ☹️
Yep - I found the article in the Guardian and was just about to post it too.
I’m sure this is me!
Alcohol and AF 👎
Was always a trigger for me, one glass of wine could send me to A@E without fail. Just isn't worth it, like CD I liked the odd half bottle even bottle on 30s early 40s but it became my undoing after mid fortys, some it doesn't seeme to bother but for a lot like me it's like lighting the touch paper.
I read somewhere that an alcoholic drink can trigger AF even days after the event.
Used to be instant for me Sam, probably best avoided if this is the case.
I wondered about whether an afib bout today,say, might be caused by the drink I had yesterday, for example. So I Googled it. One article says a standard drink is metabolized within an hour. Another says “The average urine test can detect alcohol between 12 and 48 hours after drinking. More advanced testing can measure alcohol in the urine 80 hours after you drink.” Make me wonder what metabolized actually means.
I NEVER had afib WHEN I was drinking... but the NEXT day... afib City.
The Sky is Blue As an AFer this study screams Captain Obvious.
Thank you for posting. Applies to me and I steer clear of alcohol and caffeine.
This is the link to the full study, as reported in the BMJ:
From an ex fairly big drinker, I haven't touched a drop for almost 6 years, last time I had half a bottle of beer it triggered an AF episode and frightened me! I truly thought I would miss it but don't and couldn't justify the risk.
Yes, I read this and I think it's an important message. Some years back, before I even had Afib, I was told by a cardiologist that I shouldn't drink alcohol as it was very toxic to the heart. I did take note but reverted back to my usual consumption after a few weeks. I've never been a massive drinker, but certainly a regular one. If that cardiologist had really hammered home the afib message and all the risks it carries, I might have sat up and listened.
Been exploring theories for 10 years. My Cardiologist spotted the link between my holidays and episodes. He called it Holiday Heart Syndrome, as I consumed more alcohol on holiday, I had an episode. Tried most remedial suggestions ever made but in truth, for me it is alcohol that triggers the AF. I have not had a drink since September. No episodes at all. Throughout 2020 I ran every day, lost 3 stone but had a drink in the garden. Episodes were regular. I am supposed to be getting an ablation this year but It appears the cure, in my case, is in my own hands. Good luck to all, a terrible affliction.
I think there are a number of problems with this research. Most scientists think that observational studies, such as this one, are meaningless unless they produce a much more significant difference in outcomes, such as 50%. This study only produced a 16% difference.
In any case, all observational studies depend on accurate identification of confounding factors.
Looking at the actual results, the basic results where the participants are analysed on sex and cohort finds no difference between non drinkers and moderate drinkers. It is only when additional risk factors for heart disease are incorporated (BP, diabetes, smoking, etc.) that a 16% discrepancy appears. However, the number one risk factor which impacts heart disease is not included - that is exercise. Exercise cuts the risk of heart disease dramatically and all exercise, other than extreme endurance, cuts AF risk as well.
So I'm afraid this study is not really worth the paper it's written on.
Of course it makes good headlines, but the results really are meaningless.
Take 4 drinks and the risk goes up to 47%. I had a look at the research report and one of the main concerns was the the possibility of people who have symptom less permanent Afib crashing out with a completely unexpected stroke. I agree with your comments regarding exercise.
I never drank a lot, but have had to more or less stop because of the AF. I do very occasionally drink a small amount of alcohol, and I always take an extra Flecainide with it.I don't think my AF was caused by drink; I have an inherited arrhythmia. But it was the prescribed medication -- Amytryptiline -- that started it off. That side effect didn't seem to be known about back in the 1990s, because for ten years I was told that my mild episodes were panic attacks! (I knew they weren't but they didn't believe me). Then I had a paroxysmal episode, had to go to hospital, then finally they diagnosed it.
Has anyone else found this... when I had AF unmedicated I felt terrible if I drank alcohol especially red wine. Couldn’t drink it snd would start my AFNow I’m taking Diltiazem and I can drink alcohol (and you’re allowed to with Diltiazem... so just wondering if anyone else finds that they can drink once they are controlled on meds?
Ok thank you I could t even drink a glass of red wine before
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