moderate alcohol consumption tagged posts

Enjoy a glass of wine with dinner or a nightcap before bed, but don’t count on their heart benefits.

A new study found that even moderate alcohol consumption may change the structure of the heart in ways that increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. “There’s growing evidence that moderate alcohol intake may be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation, the most common heart rhythm disturbance in the world, but the mechanism by which alcohol may lead to atrial fibrillation is unknown,” said Gregory Marcus, MD, endowed professor of atrial fibrillation research at UCSF.

Marcus and colleagues looked at damage to the left atrium of the heart as a possible pathway between alcohol and atrial fibrillation. Atrial fibrillation is a known risk factor for stroke...