Abstract

BACKGROUND: Acute alcohol consumption can cause atrial fibrillation in patients with, and
without, heart disease. Increased atrial electromechanical delay (EMD) has been associated
with atrial fibrillation. We evaluated the atrial conduction properties by tissue Doppler imaging
(TDI) echocardiography in healthy men following acute alcohol intake.

METHODS: Thirty healthy male volunteers were included in this study. Baseline ECG, heart
rate, blood pressure, and TDI echocardiographic findings were compared to readings taken
one hour after drinking six 12-oz cans of beer (76.8 g of ethanol).
RESULTS: Although the blood pressure and heart rate remained similar before and one hour
after alcohol intake, Pmax and Pd values were significantly prolonged (114.2 ± 10.4 vs 100.8 ±
10.6, p = 0.002; 50.6 ± 9.6 vs 34.5 ± 8.8, p < 0.0001). Interatrial EMD was significantly
increased after drinking alcohol compared to the baseline (19.8 ± 9.2 vs 14.0 ± 5.5 ms, p < 0.0002).

CONCLUSIONS: Acute moderate alcohol intake was associated with an increased interatrial
EMD obtained by TDI echocardiography. This finding may help explain how these patients
express increased susceptibility to atrial fibrillation. (Cardiol J 2011; 18, 6: 682–686)

Details

Title
Acute alcohol consumption is associated with increased interatrial electromechanical delay in healthy men
Author
Sengul, Cihan; Cevik, Cihan; Ozveren, Olcay; Sunbul, Aysegul; Oduncu, Vecih; Akgun, Taylan; Can, Mehmet Mustafa; Semiz, Ender; Dindar, Ismet
First page
682
End page
686
Publication year
2011
Publication date
2011
Publisher
Wydawnictwo Via Medica
ISSN
18975593
e-ISSN
1898018X
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2464206275
Copyright
© 2011. This work is published under https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.