Eur Heart J

Binge drinking tied to arrhythmias in young adults

October 10, 2024

Findings highlight how binge drinking leads to heart rate changes and elevated atrial tachycardias while consuming alcohol and the emergence of clinically significant arrhythmias afterward, underscoring the health risks associated with holiday heart syndrome.

Study details

In the MunichBREW II study, researchers enrolled 202 volunteers (≥18 years of age) planning acute alcohol consumption with an expected peak blood alcohol concentration of ≥1.2 g/kg. The study consisted of 48-hour ECG monitoring covering baseline (hour 0), 'drinking period' (hours 1-5), 'recovery period' (hours 6-19), and 2 control periods 24 hours after the 'drinking' and 'recovery periods,' respectively.

Results

Heart rate and atrial tachycardias increased with higher alcohol intake. Heart rate variability analysis showed autonomic modulation with sympathetic activation during the alcohol consumption period and ‘recovery period,' followed by parasympathetic predominance. Premature atrial complexes were significantly more frequent during the ‘control periods,' while premature ventricular complexes were more common during the ‘drinking period.' Notably, 10 participants experienced significant arrhythmic episodes, including afib and ventricular tachycardias, mainly during the ‘recovery period.'

Source:

Brunner S, et al. (2024, October 4). Eur Heart J. Acute Alcohol Consumption and Arrhythmias in Young Adults: The MunichBREW II Study. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39363568/