Scientists have named a drink that leads to heart rhythm disturbances

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A new study by the California University of San Francisco examined possible triggers of heart rhythm disturbances, including alcohol, caffeine, lack of sleep and sleeping on the left side.

The results showed that only alcohol consumption was consistently associated with a greater number of heart arrhythmia episodes. 

“Although caffeine is tested most often as a trigger for cardiac arrhythmia, we found no evidence of a short-term link. And alcohol consumption most consistently demonstrated an increased risk of atrial fibrillation,” says lead author Gregory Marcus, MD, professor of medicine at the Department of Cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco.

Participants in a randomized clinical trial (450 people) used a mobile device to read the electrocardiogram along with a phone app to record potential triggers.

These included: drinking alcohol and caffeine, sleeping on the left side or sleep deprivation, eating a large meal, cold drink or certain diet, physical exercises The study found that alcohol use was the only trigger that consistently led to significantly more arrhythmia episodes.