The 7 signs of ‘holiday heart syndrome’ – the Christmas killer you’ve probably never heard of
DRINKING over Christmas could leave you with more than just a pounding headache the next day.
Experts say your festive indulgences could bring on a little-known condition dubbed ‘holiday heart syndrome‘.
Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and abnormally fast heartbeat, the NHS states.
It sometimes won’t cause symptoms, but sufferers might notice a pounding or fluttering feeling in their chest – called palpitations – as well as dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness.
About 1.4 million people in the UK have atrial fibrillation.
It can affect adults of any age but it’s more common in older people and those with conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure or obesity.
But even seemingly healthy people can get the condition after an episode of holiday binge drinking, according to Medical Daily.
Meanwhile, people with existing heart conditions are at higher risk of complications, including stroke and heart failure.
Research has linked episodes of holiday binge drinking to significantly higher numbers of hospital visits for atrial fibrillation.
A study published in Nature Cardiovascular Research in 2022 looked at hospital visits for holiday heart syndrome in weeks associated with greater alcohol consumption, including New Year’s Day, the start of daylight savings time and Christmas.
Compared to all other weeks of the year, researchers found significantly elevated numbers of hospital visits for atrial fibrillation on these “higher drinking days”.
But growing evidence also suggests that the more you drink on a daily basis, the more likely you are to be diagnosed with the heart condition.
A study published to the European Heart Journal in 2021, which tracked people over 14 years found that even a single drink per day – a glass of wine, a beer, or a shot of spirits – was linked to a 16 per cent higher risk of developing atrial fibrillation compared with not drinking at all.
What are the signs of holiday heart syndrome?
The muscles in your heart wall usually tighten to force blood around your body and then relax to let blood in.
But with atrial fibrillation the heart’s upper chambers contract randomly and sometimes so fast that the heart muscle cannot relax properly between contractions, reducing the heart’s efficiency and performance.
Common signs of drink-induced atrial fibrillation include:
- Impaired mental status from alcohol intoxication
- Elevated heart rate or palpitations – this might feel like a racing, fluttering, flip flopping feeling in your chest
- Chest pain
- High blood pressure
- Irregular pulse
- Shortness of breath
- Lack of energy
The condition can come on occasionally, lasting for minutes or hours, or it can be persistent.
If it’s permanent, you’ll need regular treatment to manage your heart rate and prevent blood clots, the British Heart Foundation said.
Having atrial fibrillation increases the risk of a blood clot forming inside the heart, the charity added.
If a clot travels to the brain, it can lead to a stroke, but you can work to reduce your risk with the right treatment.
How can I prevent holiday heart syndrome?
There are a few things you can do to lower your risk of developing atrial fibrillation over the holidays.
- Avoid binge drinking – keeping your alcohol to low amounts over the holidays can help your heart health
- Don’t stuff yourself with food – eating smaller portions and limiting salt intake can help to keep your heart healthy
- Stay active – it can be easy to sink into the sofa over the holidays but keeping active over Christmas and beyond can boost your heart health
- Try to minimise stress
A GP has also warned Brits about the symptoms of deadly diabetes they might spot over Christmas.