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ONE LITTLE DRINK SET MY HEART FLUTTERING

ALARM CALL: Tony Blair had hospital treatment for an irregular heartbeat

Tuesday July 1,2008

By Dr Rosemary Leonard

AS A SUFFERER of atrial fibrillation, I was advised to cut down my high alcohol consumption, which I found very difficult.

A few months ago, I had a half-pint of bitter and was devastated when the problem started again almost immediately. Is there anything that could be done to rectify the problem which would allow me the odd drink?

In atrial fibrillation (AF), the heart beats erratically, usually a lot faster than normal. The force of each beat can
also vary.

If you feel your pulse at the wrist, you may find it sometimes is going at a rate of up to 180 beats per minute (rather than the normal average of 72) and there may be pauses when you can’t feel any beats. It is caused by an abnormality in the “timer” in the heart that controls the pulse rate.

Normally, each heartbeat starts in the top of the heart and then spreads in a controlled fashion to the ventricles – the bigger bottom chambers. In AF, the top chambers contract randomly very fast and the contractions spread in a very haphazard way down to the ventricles.

AF may occur intermittently, lasting a couple of days and then stopping for a few days, or it may occur all the time.

The most common cause is high blood pressure, which puts a strain on the heart muscle. It can also be due to furring and narrowing of the arteries that supply blood to the heart muscle, which is why it is more common in older people.

But as you have discovered, it can also be triggered by drinking too much alcohol and excess coffee can also be to blame.

If your previous high alcohol intake has led to other health problems, for example liver damage, then it may be in your best interest to avoid drinking.

But if you are otherwise healthy, then your doctor may be able to give you medication to help to control your heartbeat, which would allow you to have the odd tipple.

You can also help to keep your heart as healthy as possible by losing excess weight, eating a low-fat diet and taking exercise.

You should also have your blood pressure and cholesterol level checked regularly and, of course, stop smoking.

You can get more information about atrial fibrillation from the British Heart Foundation: 0845 070 8070/
www.bhf.org.uk