Drinking most nights ‘is more of a heart risk than bingeing’
DRINKING alcohol most nights poses a greater risk to the heart than the odd binge, research suggests.
A study of nearly ten million people found consuming alcohol five nights a week or more – even at very low levels – increases the odds of developing an abnormal heart rhythm more than heavy drinking once or twice a week.
The research found that people who drank five or more times a week were more likely to develop atrial fibrillation in the next eight years than those who drank once or twice a week. Crucially, frequency of drinking seemed to be far more important than how much people drank. Although a higher total consumption of alcohol per week intake did slightly increase the risk, this was more than outweighed by the number of weekly drinking sessions.
The scientists found that those who spread out their drinking were at higher risk than those who drank a greater total in just one or two sessions a week. The risk was increased regardless of age or sex.
For example, those who drank moderately five or more times a week, consuming less than 26 units in total – around 11 pints of beer or three bottles of wine – were 32 per cent more likely to develop the heart condition than those who drank more than this in one or two sessions.
The researchers, from Seoul in South Korea, believe this is because each individual exposure to alcohol takes a toll on the heart.
Study author Dr Jong-Il Choi, of Korea University College of Medicine, said: ‘Recommendations about alcohol consumption have focused on reducing the absolute amount rather than the frequency. Our study suggests that drinking less often may also be important to protect against atrial fibrillation.’
Public health experts are concerned at the growth of a British ‘wine o’clock’ culture in recent years – particularly among the middle-aged middle classes, who frequently drink at home. While young people are drinking less and less, their parents’ generation are still drinking frequently at home, believed to be partly driven by the decline of pubs.
Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disorder and raises the risk of a stroke fivefold. Symptoms include palpitations, racing or irregular pulse, shortness of breath, tiredness, chest pain and dizziness. Experts stressed that the study, published in the European Society of Cardiology journal EP Eurospace, only looked at atrial fibrillation – and did not touch on other impacts of alcohol such as cancer, dementia, and other heart conditions.
The researchers tracked 9.8million people who underwent a national health check-up in 2009, which included a questionnaire about alcohol consumption. They were followed-up until 2017 for the occurrence of atrial fibrillation.
Dr Sonya Babu-Narayan, associate medical director at the British Heart Foundation, said it recommended that drinkers should ‘stay within the current UK guidelines of no more than 14 units a week, keeping some days alcohol free’.
‘Rise in drinking at home’