Unhappy Hour: Alcohol Harmful for Irregular Heartbeat
By Patrice Wendling, Tricia Ward
May 25, 2021 -- Even one drink of alcohol can increase the risk of heart rhythm problems in people with irregular heartbeat, according to an innovative study presented May 17 at the recent American College of Cardiology meeting.
Researchers from the University of California San Francisco recruited 100 people with the heart rhythm disorder, atrial fibrillation, who drank alcohol at least once a month. The participants were fitted with wearable patches to monitor their heart rhythm as well as an ankle bracelet that could detect alcohol through the skin – one used by law enforcement in people convicted of DUIs.