It's OK to admit it -- some of us really look forward to that glass of wine or ice cold beer after work each night.
- New study suggests a drink each night could cause heart problems
- Alcohol contributes to an irregular heartbeat, Dr. Greg Marcus says
Many cite science as their motive, after several studies have come forward suggesting that, in moderation, a drink every night is good for your heart.
There’s a new study out that could make that argument a moot point, though.
Now scientists are warning that just one glass of alcohol a day may increase your chances of having an irregular heartbeat. They also found that long term consumption can make drinkers more likely to suffer from a stroke or blood clots.
The reason? Alcohol enlarges the heart’s left upper chamber known as the atrium. It's called atrial fibrillation, and it's a condition that causes the heart to beat irregularly and not pump blood around the body.
"So it's unfortunately not as simple as alcohol either increases or reduces the risk of heart disease," started Dr. Greg Marcus, the study’s author, "but rather it may be that it reduces the risk of one sort of heart disease, such as coronary disease, while increasing the risk for atrial fibrillation. It is very likely in my opinion, this is speculation, that some individuals may be at risk for the harmful effects such as related to atrial fibrillation and others may indeed derive some benefit from moderate amounts of alcohol."
Dr. Marcus says for now, if you’re drinking, you shouldn’t do it simply because you think it’s heart healthy. But, he says a drink or two a night is still fine.
This study was published in the Journal of the American Heart Association.