Atrial fibrillation is one of the most common cardiac arrhythmia, and the disease is characterised by irregular and fast palpitation. The disease is caused by an ill state in the upper ventricles of the heart. The irregular palpitation is often asymptomatic. However, fibrillation can cause palpitation, shortness of breath, unconsciousness and chest pain. The disease is connected to a high risk of developing dementia, strokes and heart failure.
Health related effects
Alcohol is a common field of study in research as it has proven to affect the heart both positively and negatively.
The positive effects of a moderate alcohol intake are:
- Increased HDL – the good cholesterol
- Reduced tendency of blood clots – alcohol prevents blood plates from forming blood clots
- Reduced arteriosclerosis
The negative effects of a moderate alcohol intake include:
- Elevated blood pressure
- Heart failure
- Weight gain
- Enlarged heart
For this reason, scientists are debating whether a moderate alcohol intake is beneficial or not, and they are having difficulties agreeing as each argument has a counterargument. Caffeine has also been examined, but currently there are no confirmed connection between caffeine and atrial fibrillation or other heart diseases. However, scientists do know that more than 5 cups of coffee each day can cause elevated blood pressure.
It has been suggested that alcohol and caffeine can cause atrial fibrillation, but this concern is still being investigated. Many factors have shown to be able to trigger the condition, either by themselves or collectively, and this makes it difficult to determine their exact effects on atrial fibrillation.
A newly investigation has not been able to prove that there are any connections between caffeine and the development of atrial fibrillation, but a large alcohol intake over a short period has been proven to be a triggering factor. Four to five units over a two-hour period is suggested to trigger atrial fibrillation, and many people may not find this amount uncommon in terms of an usual intake in the weekends. This is of great concern, and it is not recommended that any people consume such amounts of alcohol and definitely not people with heart diseases.
Based on these considerations, it is not recommended to drink alcohol to protect your heart, although the harmful effect is mainly related to far greater intakes of alcohol, you could ask: what is a moderate alcohol intake? The current advice is that women should consume no more than 1 unit per day, and that men should drink 2 units each day at most. Coffee with caffeine should also not be consumed in excessive amounts. The current advice is to drink no more than 5 cups per day, equivalent to 400 mg of caffeine.
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