New York: People who drink regularly, especially heavy drinkers, may be more likely than teetotalers to suffer atrial fibrillation, a type of abnormal heart rhythm, according to a research review.
In an analysis of 14 studies, a team led by Satoru Kodama at the University of Tsukuba Institute of Clinical Medicine in Japan found that the heaviest drinkers were more likely to be diagnosed with the condition than people who drank little to no alcohol.
Though definitions of 'heavy' drinking varied, it meant at least two or more drinks per day for men, and one or more per day for women. In some studies, heavy drinkers downed at least six drinks per day.
While doctors have long known that a drinking binge can trigger an episode of atrial fibrillation (AF), the findings -- reported in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology -- suggest that usual drinking habits may also matter....
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12:48 PM, Jan 20, 2011
