If you drink too much over the holidays, you could end up with more than a headache. Holiday heart syndrome (HHS) happens when overconsumption of alcohol causes arrhythmia — a pounding, fluttering or otherwise abnormal heartbeat.
What Is Holiday Heart Syndrome?
Arrhythmia may often be caused by a heart condition, but studies over the past 40 years have shown that excessive drinking can also cause abnormal heart rates. Since people are more likely to overindulge around holidays, abnormal rhythms, also known as HHS, can develop. In some patients, HHS shows up as atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can cause blood clots or can predispose someone to blood clots or heart failure.
There’s no magic number to know how many drinks might trigger it. However, if someone experiences any abnormal symptoms such as the flutter, dizziness, shortness of breath, palpitations or chest pain in the setting of excess alcohol and then is found to have abnormal rhythms, the diagnosis of HHS should be considered.
Cardiac problems can occur at any age. Even people in their 20s could experience HHS after just one night of binge drinking.
Holiday Heart Syndrome Can Be Cured
HHS is reversible once the alcohol is out of your body.
Prevention is straightforward — avoid excessive alcohol consumption.
Consuming alcohol excessively has many negative effects on your physical and mental health. Doing so can also lead to deadly injuries if you drive while impaired. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends no more than one drink per day for women or two for men.
If it’s a single episode, and you’re otherwise a healthy person, you don’t necessarily have to stop drinking. But if you know that every time you have a specific number of drinks, you go into atrial fibrillation, you need to quit drinking.
Repeated bouts of AFib can contribute to heart damage and other abnormalities.
Should I See a Doctor for Holiday Heart Syndrome?
If you have any of the following symptoms, call a doctor:
- Chest pain
- Difficulty breathing
- Dizziness
- Feeling faint
Those symptoms could be an indication of heart disease, including an abnormal heart rhythm due to HHS. If you experience these symptoms, don’t wait to make an appointment.
With focus and determination, you can make your personal legacy a healthier one. It’s never too early or too late to work on your cardiovascular health.
Medically reviewed by Sheila Woodhouse, MD.