Too much boozing can lead to Holiday Heart Syndrome

If you are planning on partying it up this holiday season with champers, wine and beer on tap, beware of a serious complication known as Holiday Heart Syndrome (HHS) which causes palpitations and irregular heart arrhythmia.

Nicole Jennings, spokesperson for Pharma Dynamics, described HHS as a condition which typically occurs during the holidays when people who do not suffer from heart disease experience irregular heart rhythms following heavy alcohol consumption.

“The effect of alcohol on the heart generally depends on your age, health, the volume and the pattern of your drinking. Excessive alcohol consumption over time can increase your risk of stroke, weaken the heart muscle and render it less efficient at pumping blood to vital organs,” said Jennings.

She said blood pressure also increases with each standard alcoholic drink which contains roughly 10 to 16g of alcohol depending on the liquor of your choice.

“Holiday Heart Syndrome can cause acute cardiovascular effects such as heartbeat irregularities, shortness of breath and chest pain. The effects are reversible if you stop drinking or greatly reduce the amount you consume, but can be alarming when you first experience it.”

Jennings said the mechanism of HHS is not fully understood, but alcohol affects the conduction paths of the heart which explains the onset of atrial fibrillation. “When the heart develops a rhythm like atrial fibrillation, the atria stops contracting in unison which decreases the amount of blood moving through the heart. This causes a drop in blood pressure that can result in dizziness and in response, the body increases its heart rate.”

She recommended abstaining from alcohol as a preventative measure for HHS as well as seeing a doctor who can check for a dangerous drop in blood pressure or signs of acute heart failure.

According to the National Department of Health, women should limit their alcohol intake to two drinks a day and men should preferably call it quits after the third glass.

According to the Association for Responsible Alcohol Use, the quantities of alcohol in popular liquors are as follows:

• 340ml malt beer (at a typical 5 per cent alcohol by volume) contains 12g of alcohol
• 340ml cider (at a typical 6 per cent alcohol by volume) contains 16g of alcohol
• 25ml tot of brandy, whisky, gin, cane or vodka (at a typical 43 per cent alcohol by volume) contains 11g of alcohol
• 120ml glass of wine (at a typical 12 per cent alcohol by volume) contains 11g of alcohol. Based on a Swedish study, red wine and spirits tend to produce more episodes of arrhythmia than white wine.

“Limit your alcohol intake especially if you have congenital heart disease or have an increased risk of heart disease as a result of obesity, smoking, high cholesterol or hypertension. Don’t overeat during the holidays either and try to reduce your salt intake. Too much salt could cause water retention and an increase in blood pressure, putting you at greater risk of a heart attack.”