'Holiday Heart Syndrome' can pose serious complications, says doctor

Bengaluru: Holiday Heart Syndrome is also called as "Saturday night syndrome". It is development of abnormal heart rhythm, called Atrial Fibrillation after consumption of alcohol in large quantities ('binge drinking'). Since this kind of behaviour happens usually during holidays or at weekends (Specially on Saturday), hence the name "Holiday Heart or Saturday night" syndrome.

Atrial fibrillation is a serious heart rhythm disorder in which multiple electric short circuits develop in the upper chambers of the heart (called Atria). This leads to a very rapid heart rate (in lower chambers and hence in the pulse), which is not only rapid, but also irregular, says Dr Kapil Kumawat, Senior Consultant Cardiologist and Electrophysiologist, Narayana Health City, Bangalore.

Patients usually present with the feeling of palpitations after the effect of alcohol wanes off. If the heart rate is very rapid patients can have low blood pressure and may get black-out (syncope or presyncope) also. Some patients would feel difficulty in breathing or chest pain or generalised weakness. Atrial fibrillation develops due to the direct effect of alcohol on the heart and develops in young people and in persons without any heart disease, or hypertension also, said Dr Kapil.

He said, 'This condition can pose serious complications. In predisposed patients (like patients with diabetes, hypertension, or old age), atrial fibrillation can lead to blood clot formation in upper chambers of heart, which can then migrate to brain and cause stroke. Also, rapid heart rate may not be tolerated by heart which has been weakened by previous diseases and can precipitate 'heart failure' which may require hospitalization to ICU.'

We recently treated a young person of 28 years age, who presented to Emergency on a Sunday, with a very rapid heart rate of 160-170 beats per minute. The previous day, he had consumed a large amount of alcohol. He had to be admitted in ICU for treatment as his blood pressure was also very low and he was having extreme weakness, said Dr Kapil. He added: 'So, holiday heart syndrome and atrial fibrillation is one more reason to avoid alcohol intake (or at least limit the quantity of alcohol intake).