People who regularly consume a modest amount of alcohol have a heightened risk of atrial fibrillation, suggests a study of around 108,000 individuals.

Investigators noted that in comparison with drinking no alcohol at all, just one alcoholic drink per day was associated with a 16% increased risk of atrial fibrillation over an average (median) follow-up of around 14 years.

It was also noted that while low doses of alcohol had a link with a reduced risk of heart failure compared to those who never drank alcohol, a similar J shape reduction in risk was not evident for atrial fibrillation, thus suggesting that the elevated risk of atrial fibrillation among those drinking small amounts of alcohol was not caused by heart failure. The findings are published in the European Heart Journal… (HT – ANI, January 19, 2021)