What is Holiday Heart Syndrome?

Holiday heart syndrome, also known as alcohol-induced atrial arrhythmias, is a syndrome defined by an irregular heartbeat associated with high levels of ethanol consumption. Holiday heart syndrome was discovered in 1978 when Philip Ettinger discovered the connection between arrythmia and alcohol consumption. It received its common name as it is associated with the binge drinking common during the holidays. It is unclear how common this syndrome is. 5-10% of cases of atrial fibrillation may be related to this condition, but it could be as high 63%

Symptoms and complications

The most common symptoms people with HHS have are heart palpitations and arrhythmia. People usually present with atrial fibrillation; however, other forms of arrythmia may be developed, such as atrial tachycardia, premature ventricular contraction, and atrial flutter. Patients with HHS also frequently report precordial pain, sweating, anxiety, shortness of breath, and syncope. Strokes and cardiac arrest can also occur in people with this syndrome. People with Holiday heart syndrome have a heightened risk of dilated cardiomyopathy, rhabdomyolysis, acute kidney injury, and electrical injuries. The heightened level of acetaldehyde this syndrome causes can result in mitochondrial dysfunction, valvular disease, oxidative damage, cell death, lowered effects of cardioprotective molecules, and an altered calcium transport and protein synthesis system. If left untreated, it can result in thrombosis, pneumonia, cirrhosis, and heart failure. For most patients with HHS the syndrome only lasts 24 hours. However for 26% of people with this syndrome, they reexperience an episode of it within the next year. To treat patients with this condition cardioversion or other treatments for arrhythmia are used.

Avoid Binge Drinking To Lower Your Risk of Holiday Heart Syndrome

Because drinking is so embedded in American culture, the general population often doesn’t recognize the true effect that alcohol intake has on the body, says Brown. That’s especially true for people with underlying heart disease.

The simplest way to avoid holiday heart syndrome is to limit your holiday drinking. The CDC recommends no more than one drink a day for women and two for men on days when alcohol is consumed, which shouldn’t be every day. But even staying within those limits may increase the risk of dying from certain cancers and cardiac disease, the CDC says.

Excessive amounts of alcohol can have big effects on the brain, kidneys, and heart. Limit your alcohol use this holiday season.

 

How is holiday heart syndrome treated?

It depends on your overall health. If your health already isn’t the best or unstable, your doctor will likely do cardioversion. This is when they use quick, low-energy shocks to reset your heart rhythm. They’ll also suggest you stop drinking altogether. Even if you can’t stop completely, studies show drinking less than 80 milligrams of alcohol per day may lower your risk of holiday heart.

If your overall health is good, the doctor will treat your arrhythmia and suggest you stop drinking.

6 Different Kind of Foods to eat to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

6 Foods to eat to Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease

New research shows that making six key foods a regular part of your diet may lower your risk of having a cardiovascular disease.

A study published in the European Heart Journal, researchers analyzed data from six international studies that included 245,000 participants—with and without prior cardiovascular disease—from 80 countries. They used a diet score from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study, ongoing research run by the Population Research Health Institute.

The researchers found that having a diet filled with whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and whole-fat dairy products helped lower a person’s risk of cardiovascular disease, including heart attacks and strokes.

The biggest gains in avoiding premature cardiovascular disease and deaths globally is expected to occur by increasing the intake of healthy foods to a moderate degree, especially in poorer world regions.

Researchers highlighted that the study was global in scope instead of centered on high-income or Western countries, the focus of many previous diet studies. He said those studies may not apply to people who live in lower to middle-income countries, where inadequate intake rather than excess consumption of certain foods may cause health issues.

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of death globally, resulting in an estimated 17.9 million deaths each year, according to the World Health Organization. A third of those deaths occur prematurely in people younger than 70.3 An unhealthy diet lacking protective foods such as vegetables and whole grains is considered a main cardiovascular disease risk factor.

This study emphasizes the power of nutrition, and that low intakes of heart healthy foods are associated with poor outcomes.

Based on their findings, the researchers recommend eating two to three daily servings of both fruit and vegetables, two daily servings of dairy, and one daily serving of nuts.

The score also includes three to four weekly servings of legumes and two to three weekly servings of fish or a Possible substitutes included whole grains at one serving daily, and unprocessed red meat or poultry at one serving daily.

This study differs from other papers because researchers focused on a broad range of natural foods eaten in moderation rather than a diet limited to a small number of foods.

Their findings suggest it is better to consume key quality foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes, fish, and dairy rather than focus on limiting foods high in saturated fat such as whole fat dairy and meat. Including certain foods while not limiting others may make the PURE diet easier to stick to than other diets, ultimately resulting in better cardiovascular outcomes.

The most interesting aspect of this study is finding out that two servings per day of whole-fat milk, yogurt, or cheese can be included with other beneficial foods as part of a nutritious diet.

Researchers advise that to much consumption of saturated fat which often comes from animal products increases the risk for cardiovascular disease. We may need to re-evaluate how we advise about whole-fat [dairy] products but I still think that it is more [that] the diet was overall better.

The study also provided more evidence that increasing consumption of foods known to be cardio-protective like fish, nuts, vegetables, and legumes does indeed protect heart health.

You need to eat this 6 kinds of foods to Prevent Cardiovascular Disease

An inclusive plant-based diet is a great choice for heart disease prevention, said Berger. This type of diet focuses on whole plant foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, and nuts. However, dairy and quality protein from animals can be included too.

For example, meals could feature a large portion of colorful fruits and vegetables, quality protein from fish, meat, nuts, and/or legumes, fiber rich whole grains such farro, brown rice, or quinoa, and a source of dairy a couple times per day. There is no one magic food or property of one food that by itself protects the heart. It is what we eat regularly that will affect heart health and overall health.

There’s no need to worry if you can’t eat nuts, fish, or any of the other recommended foods identified in the study, experts told Health. Not having them in your diet doesn’t necessarily mean you’re at greater risk for cardiovascular disease.

Researchers observed the biggest health gains with a diet score of four out of a maximum of six, with modest additional health benefits with scores above four. Improving intake in even three or four of these foods would produce a marked protection.

Nuts can also be replaced with pumpkin seeds, chia seeds, or ground flaxseed, said Gulati. Additionally, algal oil supplementation can fill in nutrient gaps for omega-3s.

Researchers noted that a heart-healthy diet doesn’t include large amounts of foods high in saturated fats and should include no trans fats, such as fried foods and packaged baked goods. They said that many processed foods tend to be a mainstay of diets worldwide because they are relatively cheap and easy to access. These foods don’t make as much room for heart-healthy foods in a person’s diet.

We all need variety in our diet, and joy with the meals we eat. The important element is overall diet quality from nutritious foods.

Fact

  •  
  • 1.) A diet filled with six key foods can help lower your risk of cardiovascular disease and early death, according to new research.
  • 2.) Eating whole fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, fish, and whole-fat dairy products can help lower a person’s risk of cardiovascular events, including heart attacks and strokes.
  • 3.) Researchers say the new study emphasizes the power of nutrition, and how intakes of heart-healthy foods can influence health outcomes.

Things to know to save a life with CPR

things to know about cpr

When a heart stops, every second’s matter. But too often, when someone has a cardiac arrest away from a hospital, people in a position to help don’t.

Misunderstandings about CPR can keep people from acting. That costs lives. We asked experts to help clear things up.

If you see a teen or adult suddenly collapse, call 911 and don’t wait for professional rescuers.

Each minute that CPR is delayed decreases the odds of survival by about 10%, research has shown. But having a bystander perform CPR doubles or triples the chances of surviving.

One of the biggest misconceptions about CPR, is that you can harm someone in cardiac arrest.

The biggest risk is not doing something. Whether it’s concerns about legality, propriety or breaking bones, there is actually more potential harm by not doing or participating in providing bystander CPR when somebody collapses in front of you.” Good Samaritan laws protect people who step in to provide lifesaving care.

If someone’s heart has stopped, they’re already dead. So any problems caused by CPR are not as bad as not doing CPR.

The steps for responding to a cardiac arrest, according to the AHA, are:

– Check for responsiveness.

– Call 911 or, if other people are on hand, have a second bystander make the call. 911 operators can guide rescuers through CPR.

– Begin CPR while a second bystander retrieves an automated external defibrillator, or AED, if one is nearby. Do not stop CPR to go look for an AED.

To perform CPR, place the heel of one hand in the center of the chest. Place the other hand on top and interlock the fingers. Push straight down hard and fast at 100 to 120 beats a minute. 

Training is great, and refresher courses are important, But you “absolutely” do not required to have a card to perform CPR.

If you see someone collapse, shake the patient gently and ask, “Are you OK?”

If they are not breathing or are breathing with “agonal breaths,” when breathing is abnormal or it appears the person is gasping for air, start CPR.

People used to be told to check for a pulse. Find the spot in the middle of the chest, between the nipples and start pressing hard and fast.

Chest compressions might require opening or cutting away someone’s bulky clothing or removing a bra to reach the middle of their chest or apply AED pads. “It is important that people also have an image of how they would do that because even though it may be a little uncomfortable, they can save a life.

Don’t be wary of breathing into a stranger. These days, training emphasizes hands-only CPR for the first few minutes, which has been shown to be as effective as conventional CPR with rescue breaths in the first few minutes after cardiac arrest in adults and teens.

Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation – two rescue breaths after every 30 compressions – is important, however, for infants and children and if someone’s heart stopped because of choking or drowning, compressions-only is still great.

If someone falls in a twisted position, you might have to straighten them out to get them on their back. If they are on a bed or couch, it is best to lower them to the ground so that CPR can be performed on a firm surface.

Some people think they’ll never need to use CPR. They’ll say, “My family’s healthy,” or they think it’s unlikely they’ll encounter anybody who needs help. 

Research shows more than 70% of cardiac arrests happen in a home or private residence. Learning CPR should be part of any family’s safety plans,

Taking a CPR course will help people know how to respond during an emergency situation.