The month of December, for us Filipinos, is very memorable because it is the time for family gatherings. Of course, family gatherings are more fun with food. Thus, it is time for overconsumption of some unhealthy foods, which is bad for your heart. There are plenty of opportunities to put your determination to the test when it comes to food and alcohol, whether at parties or when visiting with family. While it's good to treat yourself once in a while, going overboard might be harmful to your health. Healthy individuals can equally get holiday heart syndrome, which is the incidence of heart arrhythmia, most commonly atrial fibrillation, after binge drinking.
According to Gigen Mammoser of Healthline, the first occurrence of holiday heart syndrome in the medical literature was in 1978. Doctors revealed the incidence of cardiac rhythm abnormalities is linked to binge drinking that occurred commonly during, you guessed it, the holidays in a research study. The episodes are typically followed by a major weekend or holiday binges, culminating in hospitalization between Sunday and Tuesday as well as during year-end holidays, which is a connection not observed in other alcohol-related disorders based on a research study. Another study published indicated that during the Christmas/New Year vacation, the risk of heart attack increased by 15%. After New Year's Eve and other July festivities, the risk climbed much more.
Gigen Mammoser went on to say that, surprisingly, holiday heart syndrome is generally severe after binge drinking. People's troubles usually go away on their own when they stop drinking. When drinking mulled wine, if you notice a slightly quicker or fluttering heart rate, it's probably time to cut back. Despite the fact that holiday heart syndrome has been recognized for 40 years, the mechanism or reason why alcohol has this effect on the heart is still unknown, according to a study conducted by David Tonelo et al.
Alcohol-related cardiac arrhythmias should, nevertheless, be regarded seriously in some circumstances. If they're accompanied by other symptoms like dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest discomfort, or loss of consciousness, you should get medical help right once. Heart arrhythmias, according to the American Heart Association, are linked to more serious consequences such as heart failure and stroke, both of which can lead to death if not treated effectively. Holiday heart syndrome, on the other hand, isn't always harmful in and of itself. While it’s undoubtedly alarming to observe a high heart rate or skipped beat, without the presence of other symptoms or previous history of heart problems, it’ll likely resolve on its own.
ZDS DMO II Marie-Claire Gaas, RND
References:
1. What You Should Know About Holiday Heart Syndrome
Written by Gigen Mammoser on December 17, 2018
https://www.healthline.com/health-news/what-to-know-about-holiday-heart-syndrome
2. Holiday Heart Syndrome Revisited after 34 Years
David Tonelo,1 Rui Providência,1,2 and Lino Gonçalves
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3998158/
3. Why Arrhythmia Matters
https://www.heart.org/en/health-topics/arrhythmia/why-arrhythmia-matters
