A Single Alcoholic Drink Can Trigger Atrial Fibrillation (A-fib)
A study published online Aug. 30 in the Annals of Internal Medicine has found that a single episode of alcohol consumption can trigger A-fib as long as 12 hours later. One hundred patients with a history of A-fib were given a transdermal alcohol sensor and electrocardiogram device to wear. They were instructed to press a button on the EKG device each time they had an alcoholic drink. They also underwent periodic blood tests for alcohol use. For every 0.1% increase in blood alcohol over the previous 12 hours, the likelihood of an A-fib episode rose 38%. The odds doubled within four hours of having one drink and tripled after two or more drinks. The finding gives patients with A-fib to control over one risk factor: alcohol Those who are bothered by A-fib can lessen the likelihood of triggering it by avoiding alcohol use.
