Avoid Holiday Heart Syndrome:
Keep These Heartwarming Days Heart Healthy
ATLANTA - Over the past several years, research has mounted suggesting
that moderate consumption of alcohol, especially wine, may help prevent
coronary artery disease. "However, alcohol in excess is anything but
good for your heart health," says cardiologist Douglas Morris, MD, Director
of the Emory Heart Center.
In fact, folks who get caught
up in high-spirited revelry and over-indulge in alcohol this holiday
season could end up with a frightening heart problem --- Holiday Heart
Syndrome.
The disorder is most often
associated with drinking excessively over a short period of time. Holiday
Heart Syndrome is marked by a very fast, irregular heart rhythm called
atrial fibrillation which can occur in both people who binge drink excessive
amounts of alcohol as well as those who rarely if ever take a drink
-- except when they are tempted to over imbibe this time of year with
extra glasses of wine or "spiked" eggnog.
According to Dr. Morris,
M.D., symptoms of Holiday Heart Syndrome include palpitations (the sensation
the heart is racing or skipping beats), chest discomfort, shortness
of breath and feeling faint.
"Typically, someone with
Holiday Heart Syndrome has been drinking excessively for a few days
and they present with atrial fibrillation," Dr. Morris says. "When they
stop drinking alcohol, their hearts may spontaneously go back into regular
rhythm, or they may need to be cardioverted to a regular rhythm through
medication or an electric shock." Fortunately, Holiday Heart Syndrome
is usually not a dangerous problem, but the rhythm disturbance can be
a frightening -- and holiday disruptive -- experience that requires
medical tests and treatment. "The best thing to do if you feel your
heart beating rapidly and erratically is to go to an emergency department
or urgent care center to have an electrocardiogram made to see what
kind of rhythm disturbance you are experiencing," Dr. Morris says.
He also points out that some
people who do not binge drink may find they have some isolated extra
heartbeats after drinking alcohol. "This is not the same as Holiday
Heart Syndrome, but it can be bothersome. Caffeine and being overly
tired can also cause these extra beats in people who are prone to them.
Making sure you get enough rest and avoiding caffeine and alcoholic
beverages may help lessen or prevent these palpitations," Dr. Morris
advises.
Those who overindulge in
alcohol not only during the holidays but also on a regular basis need
to understand they are risking serious and even irreversible heart damage,
he adds. "Alcohol in large doses clearly has a toxic effect on the heart
muscle and can cause alcoholic cardiomyopathy. The heart muscle becomes
weak and doesn't contract well, " says Dr. Morris. "The best way to
avoid serious alcohol related heart problems, as well as the usually
benign Holiday Heart Syndrome, is to drink alcohol in moderation, or
not all."
The Emory Heart Center
is comprised of all cardiology services and research at Emory University
Hospital (EUH), Emory Crawford Long Hospital (ECLH) Carlyle Fraser Heart
Center, the Andreas Gruentzig Cardiovascular Center of Emory University
and the Emory Clinic. Ranked in the top ten of U.S. News & World Report's
annual survey of the nation's best Heart Centers, the Emory Heart Center
has a rich history of excellence in all areas of cardiology - including
education, research and patient care. It is also internationally recognized
as one of the birthplaces of modern interventional cardiology. |