Last year around now I had a STEMI heart attack ( not pleasant wouldn't recommend it).
I'm on the usual cocktail of drugs ( blood pressure, beta blockers, thinners, statins) .
I do weights,rowing,walking 4 to 5 times a week.
I drink a can of craft beer on Friday, one on Saturday and one on Sunday.
My cardiologist has no issues with any of the above.
I had one episode of afib (verified in hospital) and now I'm on extra blood thinners).
I've asked my cardiologist if afib is dangerous/serious and he said you've got nothing to worry about. I asked my cardio rehab nurse the same and they said carry on excericsing ( just carry on being mindful).
BUT my cardiologist said only drink one beer a week.
Why? After my heart attack which was serious he had no issues with my consumption but with afib which he regards as not being serious he's told me to become a monk and abstain.
With Christmas coming up ( and Last year's being a disaster) I was hoping to have a beer or two with family.
confused......
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Some people, not all, find that alcohol is a trigger for AF episodes. Even if it currently isn’t for you then even the smallest amount of alcohol is known to cause scarring of the muscle of the heart - which then results in more AF. The other reason is if you are taking anti-platelets such as aspirin or clopidogrel + anticoagulant such as a DOAC, commonly known as blood thinners although they do not ‘thin’ the blood - then add alcohol on 3 consecutive days you will be increasing your bleeding risk because alcohol is also a blood thinner. Quite a few people on this forum recommend the alcohol free beers and hopefully someone will come up with a suggestion.
The major risk with AF is a stroke - which is why you are given anticoagulants but there is always a very fine line between whether these are going to be a benefit or a risk. My brother at one time, was a an alcoholic. Only after suffering several serious bleeds in the brain did he finally stop drinking, thankfully. If you think a STEMI was bad, believe you me you do NOT want to suffer either a hemorragic or AF induced clot in the brain stroke from which very few people regain full function, if they survive. Good enough reason?
Other AF triggers - exercising too hard, too much and for too long that it causes inflammation in your body - stiffness etc, which results in AF. MODERATE exercise is good but pushing through pain barrier is not.
AF is not life immediately threatening as a HA is, however, many people find it is life limiting which can sometimes feel as though it is life threatening with palpitations, breathlessness and overwhelming fatigue and for some, chest pain. Uncontrolled AF, may lead to Heart Failure - ie: inability of the heart to pump oxygenated blood around the body - so it is really important that you listen to your body, stop and rest when you have symptoms, control your heart rate and don’t overreach. I good rule of thumb for exercise is to be able to exercise and still speak in sentences.
I hope that answered your query and I am sorry if you find my answer disappointing but the very fact that you survived, your are fit and you are able to exercise is reason enough to celebrate = but preferably with a none alcoholic drink.
I was interested in what you said about inflammation (of joints, I presume) and stiffness being triggers. I have osteoarthritis of he knees (and thumbs to a lesser extent) and wondered if you had any more info on that. Akso re alcohol.- wondering if the trigger situation changes ie as time goes on, you have to drink less to avoid triggering. (That seems to be happening to me at the moment.) Thanks for your help
Alcohol can be a trigger for AF for some (including me) but not for others. Your cardiologist didn’t know how you as an individual would respond to alcohol. I’ve never been much of a drinker so it’s no big deal for me not to drink. When you’re in a family social gathering nobody seems to notice or care about what you drink or what you eat. My extended family includes people who are vegan, people with diverticulitis and coeliac disease and people who abstain from alcohol for faith reasons. Last year one was not drinking alcohol or caffeinated drinks because she was breastfeeding. Nobody really cares about who doesn’t eat/drink what because the important part is spending time in each other’s company. Everyone’s needs and preferences are respected, and everyone will bring at least something that accommodates their needs, and often others like to try it. Last year I took kombucha for myself and the non-alcohol people (and yes, I know it contains traces) and also a Christmas cake that was gluten free and made without animal-derived ingredients, so quite a few people could share it. Instead of seeing limiting alcohol as “restricting”, if you turn it around it’s actually an opportunity to experiment with different alternatives, so don’t feel down about it.
Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh, but for me, it's no alcohol, no caffeine, for the simple reason I want a life.
Whilst it may be difficult to get used to and is part of our social structure, I now choose to go down the path of abstinence because I know what the consequences could be.
Alcohol wasn't a trigger for me but the meds I now take for AF don't mix with alcohol. Some of the 0% lagers aren't too bad. Becks Blue is my go to if I fancy a "drink" .It's not the AF that's necessarily life threatening its the problems it can cause that may turn out that way. In my case, AF has caused my left atrium to enlarge, which in turn, has pulled my mitral valve frame out if shape, so I need valve surgery to hopefully repair it.
Always better to err on the side of caution with anything that may set off AF.
Keeping alcohol to an absolute minimum works for me. Some of the craft "near beers" are actually pretty good. My experience with cardiologists is they rarely support aggressive surgical AF therapy. I would get a Kardia monitor and request a 2 week holter monitor. If AF recurs I advise seeking advise from EP. CDreamer gave you an excellent synopsis of AF risks above, only you in consult with trusted EP/Physician can choose your path. Alcohol in any amount is a trigger for me, so my advice mirrors CDreamer!
Thanks for all the replies, one thing having a heart attack has taught me is that we can spend life after such events living in fear , or living recklessly, or living in total absence of any of the things which give us pleasure or finding a way that suits you.
I will still enjoy my craft beer In moderation and today I accidentally ordered an incredibly hot spicy dish at my Christmas lunch in error , thought oh no spicy = afib trigger worry worry , red wine = trigger worry worry ,but thought nope, I lived like this during the early few months of my heart attack and have no intention of going down that route again.
Each to their own and if I'm wrong I will change course and enjoy the thoroughly excellent alcohol free craft beers from Mash Gang , Cloudwater, Northern Monk , Lervig as well as others.
My experience has been mixed. COLD beer will normally put me in AF but room temperature red wine usually doesn't. Twice after I've exhausted my max number of pills allowed for the day (prescribed lowest dosages) and I was still in AF, a glass of red wine brought me back into NSR. I always, always hydrate well before and after having that glass.
Not saying that's the way to go. Before having that drink, I always ask myself if it's worth possibly feeling miserable. The answer is usually no. So I end up pouring a room temperature caffeine-free 7-Up into a wine glass to alleviate my hurt feelings.
Life is for living so enjoy what you enjoy - just keep an eye on how you feel after you have a drink and if you’re ok carry on if not the decision on whether you enjoy the drink more than a bout of AF comes into play. You’re not drinking a huge amount so if all ok with it enjoy- Merry Xmas 👍
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