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Aetiology
Published in Gregory YH Lip, Atrial Fibrillation in Practice, 2020
Cardiac arrhythmias, especially supraventricular arrhythmias, occur more frequently in heavy alcohol drinkers, particularly after a weekend or holiday-related bouts of heavy consumption. In one Scandinavian series, alcohol caused or contributed to new onset AF in young subjects in 63% of cases, hence the term ‘holiday heart syndrome’, referring to acute disturbances of cardiac rhythm with heavy alcohol consumption in people with ‘normal hearts’. In younger patients (aged <65 years) with new onset AF, alcohol intake should be questioned.
Arrhythmias and electrophysiology
Published in Nicholas Green, Steven Gaydos, Hutchison Ewan, Edward Nicol, Handbook of Aviation and Space Medicine, 2019
Nicholas Green, Steven Gaydos, Hutchison Ewan, Edward Nicol
Idiopathic AF (without an underlying aetiology): May rarely occur as a single episode of arrhythmia.Is often paroxysmal (PAF) (≤7 days), but may be persistent (>7 days).In most cases, AF encountered in aircrew is paroxysmal, idiopathic and converts either spontaneously or by medical intervention within 24 hr.A single idiopathic episode occasionally has a clearly identifiable cause, such as acute alcohol excess (so-called ‘holiday heart syndrome’).
Vulnerable people
Published in G. Hussein Rassool, Alcohol and Drug Misuse, 2017
Alcohol use disorders in older people can cause a wide range of physical and psychosocial problems. The physical problems associated with alcohol problems in the elderly include liver or brain damage, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancers, gastrointestinal disease and bleeding, “Holiday heart syndrome” (refers to an episode of dysrhythmia after an alcohol binge), peripheral neuropathy, osteoporosis and Wernicke’s encephalopathy. Problems among older people may develop as a result of social exclusion, social isolation, bereavement, lack of social support, diminishing responsibilities, cognitive impairment and general ill health, and these are associated with higher rates of alcohol use (Royal College of Psychiatrists 2011). Alcohol has a significant influence on older people’s reaction time and increases the risk of accidents. The risk of accidents has been identified as one of the three main reasons for falls, which are a significant cause of mortality and ill health in older people (Wright and Whyley 1994).
Role for risk factor treatment in the management of atrial fibrillation
Published in Hospital Practice, 2020
Daniel Frenkel, Wilbert S. Aronow
Episodic consumption of high quantities of alcohol has been associated with ‘Holiday Heart Syndrome’ for decades [23]. This raised the question of whether heavy chronic alcohol consumption has similar effects. From the Framingham Heart Study, there was a statistically significant relative risk of 1.34 for AF in those with long-term alcohol consumption of >36 g/day of alcohol (>3 drinks per day) [24].