A new study has warned that smoking and alcohol consumption increase the lifetime risk of a rapid and irregular heart rate, called atrial fibrillation which further leads to a stroke, dementia, heart failure, and other complications.
Atrial fibrillation is emerging as a global epidemic and poses considerable socio-economic burden. Some symptoms of atrial fibrillation include racing or pounding heart, excessive anxiety, sense of breathlessness, fatigue, lightheadedness, and syncope.
Over 40% of people who drink consumes more than five standard drinks on a single occasion (binge drinking). “Holiday heart syndrome” is a common emergency department presentation, with AF precipitated by alcohol in 35% to 62% of cases.
Three large meta-analyses have demonstrated that moderate habitual consumption increases the incidence of AF in a dose-dependent manner with men and women equally affected.
Padma shri awardee Dr KK Aggarwal, president, Heart Care Foundation of India, said: “The best way to manage your heart health is to make sure you see your doctor regularly and reduce the risks. lifestyle changes made at a younger age can go a long way in preventing any damage to the heart. It is imperative to inculcate such habits right from the childhood. Elders can set an appropriate example by eating, drinking, and living healthy.”