In heartbreaking news for those fond of a tipple, researchers have found that moderate drinking of alcohol increases the risk of having an irregular heartbeat.
Even a single standard drink raises the risk of atrial fibrillation by 7 per cent, according to sobering research by cardiologist Peter Kistler from The Alfred and the Baker IDI.
Further, alcohol's effect on the heart was not confined to those diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, also known as having an irregular heartbeat. Professor Kistler said even people without the condition could experience heart palpitations after drinking.
The symptoms, including shortness of breath and tiredness, could last for anywhere between a few minutes to days or even permanently.
The effect of drinking alcohol on the heartbeat was also found to be cumulative. One drink increased the risk of an irregular heart rhythm by 7 per cent - and a second drink by 14 per cent.
"For people who come to the emergency department with atrial fibrillation, between one and two-thirds of them have had palpitations triggered by alcohol," Professor Kistler said.
Generally alcohol has an anti-inflammatory effect and reduces susceptibility to blood clotting. Research has shown that light to moderate drinking is good for the heart's function in supplying blood to the body .
"It's been shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and total mortality by about 20 per cent," Professor Kistler said.
However Professor Kistler's literature review published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology looked at the effect of alcohol on the 'electrical' mechanisms that control the heartbeat.
On this measure alcohol was found to be detrimental, as it interfered with the heart cells' ability to transmit electrical signals which tell the heart to pump.
On average, an atrial fibrillation diagnosis occurs in a patient's 60s, with the condition the leading cause of stroke in older people. It is associated with a five-fold increased risk of stroke, heart failure and a doubling of mortality.
"It's been described as the emerging epidemic in cardiovascular medicine," Professor Kistler said.
The findings of the literature review have informed Professor Kistler's next study, which will investigate if abstaining from alcohol benefits people with irregular heartbeats.
Participants will have an injectable implant placed under the skin above the heart which will monitor the patient's heartbeat. The data, collected from both patients who abstain from alcohol and those who drink moderately, will be available to researchers wirelessly in real time over three-years.
Patients with a history of atrial fibrillation who drink moderately and are interested in participating can contact Dr Alex Voskoboinik on 9076 6525.
