“Can heavy drinking negatively affect my heart?”
My doctor noticed that I had an irregular heartbeat. I exercise, get enough sleep and eat right. But sometimes, I drink a little too much on the weekends. Can heavy drinking cause an irregular heartbeat?
4 Answers
Heavy alcohol consumption can definitely cause heart injury that is sometimes severe and permanent. Alcohol is known to cause arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation and frequent premature beats from the atrium and ventricle. If you drink enough alcohol for long enough you can develop what is called alcoholic cardiomyopathy. This is a potentially serious or even life-threatening condition related to alcohol toxicity leading to damage to the heart muscle itself . Although alcohol in moderation is probably OK, heavy drinking can definitely lead to serious heart problems.
Heavy drinking whether continuously or in binges can definitely cause an irregular heartbeat. Reduction or cessation of heavy drinking often cures this problem.
Excessive alcohol consumption especially binge drinking can lead to cardiac dysrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythms). It is common enough that there is a term "holiday heart" where excessive alcohol can lead to a type of abnormal cardiac rhythm called atrial fibrillation.
Mark Rasak
Cardiologist
Yes, alcohol is an irritant to the heart. usually, the rhythm change occurs around 24 yrs after alcohol consumption. It can trigger atrial fibrillation. Often called "Holliday Heart". I would avoid alcohol consumption altogether especially if you tend to binge when you do drink.
