Acute alcohol consumption is associated with increased interatrial electromechanical delay in healthy men

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)