Have You Ever Experienced a “Holiday Heart”?

“Holiday heart” is a heart syndrome that occurs after excessive alcohol consumption. It is given this name because it often occurs during festive periods, such as holidays. Christmas, of course, is no exception, quite the contrary! This heart rhythm problem is linked to alcohol, which, as we know, acts in different ways on our body. It's often bad for our health… This “heart of the holidays” has been known for many years now, but researchers wanted to understand it better. They published their results in the journal The Conversation.

“Holiday heart” is an abnormality of the heart rhythm

“Party heart,” which is actually called alcohol-induced atrial arrhythmia, is a well-known health problem. Health professionals have observed this for more than 50 years, with emergency services welcoming more people with heart problems following excessive alcohol consumption during parties, vacations, and even weekends.

Patients then suffer from an irregularity in their heart rhythm. Most often this is what is called atrial fibrillation. It is a heart disorder that causes the heart to speed up and beat irregularly.
This pathology can occur in episodes. Sometimes this lasts several days, between which the rhythm of the heart becomes regular again. Sometimes it sets in permanently and the irregular heartbeat becomes constant.

Atrial fibrillation has varied symptoms. Patients will experience palpitations, which are fast, irregular, and sometimes difficult heartbeats. They may feel short of breath, have chest pain or malaise.
On the other hand, sometimes the disease is silent and no symptoms appear.

It is important to properly diagnose this disease because it can be serious. After cardiac auscultation by the doctor, the patient undergoes an electrocardiogram (ECG) which helps clarify the diagnosis. Other tests are sometimes ordered, such as MRIs or blood tests.
Once the diagnosis has been made, care must be taken to normalize the heart rate, most often by taking medication. Lifestyle must also be reviewed and adapted if necessary.

Treatment of this atrial fibrillation is very important because the complications can be serious. This can in fact lead to heart failure, arterial thromboses, strokes or myocardial infarctions.

Several factors can trigger this pathology. Alcohol is one of them and that is why we speak of the “heart of the holidays”.

An electrocardiogram helps diagnose atrial fibrillation.
Credits: Shutterstock/BGStock72

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A pathology linked to excessive alcohol consumption

The “holiday heart” is therefore a type of arrhythmia which often occurs during festive moments. People who come to see you often have a fast or irregular heartbeat. And, when we question them, we realize that they have consumed alcohol heavily before, associated with excessive eating, dehydration and increased stress.

However, this “holiday heart” is not just about people who drink too much on weekends or at Christmas. Doctors also see it in people who drink excessively at any time of the year or for many years.

Alcohol has several effects on our body. It particularly affects the heart, blood vessels, blood and even the nervous system.
By disrupting the nervous system, alcohol induces dehydration and inflammation. The latter can cause a disruption of the heart's electrical system. And this is what leads to atrial fibrillation.

Alcohol consumption also leads to high blood pressure, an increase in cholesterol and a reduction in the ability of the blood to clot.

In the case of “party heart” syndrome, the vast majority of patients recover, especially if they are treated early enough and if they limit, or even stop, their alcohol consumption.
Despite everything, it is important to take preventive measures to prevent this pathology from occurring.

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How to avoid triggering a “holiday heart”?

The best advice given by scientists is to limit your alcohol consumption. In France, health professionals recommend not consuming more than 10 standard glasses per week. More specifically, you should avoid drinking more than two glasses per day and having days without drinking in a week.
These consumption benchmarks are valid for all healthy adults, regardless of gender (excluding pregnant women, of course).

Researchers also advise drinking water between consuming alcoholic beverages. This can help reduce the dehydrating effects of alcohol and therefore help reduce the risk of alcohol-induced heart complications.

You must also adopt the healthiest lifestyle possible. You can try to reduce stress by exercising. You can follow a heart-healthy diet…

All of these measures can help take care of your heart and can prevent the onset of “holiday heart.”
Despite everything, if you ever experience any of the symptoms that could indicate atrial fibrillation, do not hesitate to consult a doctor!

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