Holiday Heart: What You Need to Know About the Seasonal Heart Condition

It’s the time of year for workplace Christmas parties, and gatherings with family and friends. Maybe you’ll drink a lot in one go.

What is Holiday Heart?

Every festive season, emergency departments see more people with alcohol-related issues and irregular heart rhythms.

What Causes It? How is it Diagnosed?

Alcohol affects your heart, blood vessels, blood, and nervous system in many ways.

For instance, when alcohol disrupts your nervous system, it can lead to dehydration and inflammation. In turn, this can cause disruption to the heart’s electrical system, which can lead to an irregular heartbeat.

Diagnosis

If you have symptoms, go to your emergency department or GP. Health professionals will likely run some tests to diagnose heart-related rhythm problems.

These include monitoring the heart’s rhythm using an ECG or electrocardiogram. This simple and non-invasive test involves attaching some electrodes to your chest, arms, and legs to produce a graph of electrical signals from the heart.

Why are We Concerned About It?

The vast majority of people diagnosed with holiday heart will recover, especially if treated early or if they stop or limit drinking alcohol.

However, some people will be diagnosed with atrial fibrillation – the most common heart rhythm disorder in Australian adults, affecting 1.4-5.5% of the population.

How Can You Prevent It?

There is no definitive number of drinks known to trigger holiday heart. So our best advice to prevent it is to avoid binge drinking. Australian guidelines recommend women and men limit alcohol to no more than ten standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day.

We’d also recommend drinking water between alcoholic drinks. This can help reduce the dehydrating effects of alcohol and reduce the risk of alcohol-induced heart rhythm complications.

Then do your best to reduce stress, keep up with exercise, and eat a diet that’s good for your heart – all general advice for looking after your heart, whether or not you’re drinking alcohol.

Taking these steps will help reduce your risk of holiday heart and keep your heart healthy this festive season.

Conclusion

Holiday heart is a common condition that can be caused by excessive or binge drinking. It is essential to be aware of the risks and take steps to prevent it. If you experience symptoms, seek medical attention promptly.

FAQs

Q: What is holiday heart?

A: Holiday heart, also known as holiday heart syndrome, is a condition characterized by an irregular heartbeat caused by excessive or binge drinking.

Q: What are the symptoms of holiday heart?

A: Symptoms of holiday heart include a fast or irregular heartbeats, chest pain, fainting, and shortness of breath.

Q: How is holiday heart diagnosed?

A: Holiday heart is typically diagnosed using an electrocardiogram (ECG) or electrocardiogram, which measures the heart’s electrical activity.

Q: How can I prevent holiday heart?

A: To prevent holiday heart, avoid binge drinking and limit your alcohol intake to no more than ten standard drinks a week and no more than four standard drinks on any one day. Also, drink water between alcoholic drinks, reduce stress, and maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine.

Q: What are the treatment options for holiday heart?

A: Treatment for holiday heart typically involves stopping or limiting alcohol consumption, and in some cases, medications may be prescribed to regulate the heart’s rhythm.