Holiday Binge Drinking Can Lead to Heart Condition

Those extra flutes of champagne or glasses of wine during the holidays can affect more than just your waistline. They can make your heart skip a beat.

Dr. Robert E. Fromm Jr., associate professor of cardiology at Baylor College of Medicine, said holiday heart syndrome is a condition seen in holiday revelers, especially those who drink excessively during a short period of time.

"The medical community has known about this phenomenon for more than 25 years," Dr. Fromm said. "There seems to be an association between the holidays and weekends and a disruption in heart rhythm. Many studies have concluded that alcohol consumption is the cause."

Dr. Fromm said when alcohol is broken down in the body, it has been shown to cause disrhythmias, or electrical problems in the heart.

"Patients often come in with complaints about the heart rhythm itself," Dr. Fromm said. "They believe they are having palpitations or recognize that their heart is racing or skipping. Some will have chest discomfort, shortness of breath, or become faint."

These symptoms can be alarming, especially because holiday heart syndrome strikes individuals with otherwise healthy hearts. Typically, the side effects disappear within 24 hours.

"Holiday heart syndrome is seldom life-threatening, but it can be scary," Dr. Fromm said. "People need to realize the dangers of binge drinking. They also should know that heavy drinking over time can lead to irreversible heart damage."

Dr. Fromm said there is one important message people should remember during holiday celebrations.

"Like most things in life, my advice is moderation. That's difficult to enforce over the holidays, but people need to be careful about how much they drink. It'll not only prevent holiday heart syndrome, but it'll mean fewer traffic accidents."

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©2006 Texas Medical Center

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