Study In 2 Minutes

Alcohol abstinence decreased arrhythmia recurrences in chronic alcoholics with atrial fibrillation

Alcohol abstinence to improve atrial fibrillation

Randomised trial in 140 patients who consumed ≥10 standard drinks per week# and who had paroxysmal or persistent atrial fibrillation in sinus rhythm.

Clinical end points evaluated during the study:

The overall atrial fibrillation burden over 6 months of follow-up was significantly lower in the abstinence group than in the control group (0.5%) (1.2%).

According to the findings of the trial, a substantial reduction in alcohol intake by patients with symptomatic atrial fibrillation was linked with a reduction in the recurrence of atrial fibrillation and a reduction in the percentage of time spent in atrial fibrillation.

Primary end point

Recurrences of atrial fibrillation of more than 30 seconds’ duration (after a 2-week blanking period)

Secondary end point Atrial fibrillation-related hospital admission

% of patients with an atrial fibrillation burden in the abstinence and control groups.

Regular alcohol use is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation that may be controllable. In this study of regular alcohol drinkers with atrial fibrillation, patients randomly assigned to the abstinence group reduced their alcohol consumption from approximately 17 drinks per week to 2 drinks per week and experienced a reduction in both the burden and risk of atrial fibrillation recurrence.

#Standard drink containing approximately 12 g of pure alcohol.