Heart Health
Rising alcohol intake linked to higher risk of atrial fibrillation
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- Reviewed by Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
People who increase their drinking in later midlife may raise their risk of atrial fibrillation (afib), a new study finds.
The study included 43,758 people ages 50 to 64 who completed lifestyle questionnaires once in the mid-1990s and again five years later. During the median follow-up period of nearly 16 years, 5,312 people were diagnosed with afib, a heart rhythm disorder that raises the risk of stroke.
A high alcohol intake (more than 21 drinks per week) was linked to a higher risk of afib. And people who increased their drinking over the five-year period were more likely to develop afib compared with people who maintained a low (less than seven drinks per week) or moderate (14 to 20.9 drinks per week) intake. Researchers adjusted for multiple factors that could affect the results, such as smoking, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
Their findings, published Dec. 12, 2022, by the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology, add further support for limiting alcohol to protect cardiovascular health.
Image: © Peter Dazeley/Getty Images
About the Author
Julie Corliss, Executive Editor, Harvard Heart Letter
About the Reviewer
Christopher P. Cannon, MD, Editor in Chief, Harvard Heart Letter; Editorial Advisory Board Member, Harvard Health Publishing
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