Holiday heart syndrome
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Raviteja Guddeti, M.B.B.S. [2]
Overview
Holiday heart syndrome is an irregular heartbeat pattern presented in individuals who are otherwise healthy. It can be the result of stress, dehydration, and drinking. Usually this syndrome is associated with binge drinking. However, it may also occur in patients who usually drink little or no alcohol.
Historical Perspective
The term was coined by Ettinger et al in 1978.[1]
Pathophysiology
Holiday heart syndrome is defined as "arrhythmias of the heart, sometimes apparent after a vacation or weekend away from work, following excessive alcoholconsumption; usually transient". [2]
Irregular heartbeats are very serious and result mostly from supraventricular tachycardias. If palpitations continue for longer than a few hours patients should seek medical attention. Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in holiday heart syndrome and can result in very serious consequences such as stroke, but a variety of changes in the intervals and morphology of the EKG may occur (irregular series of QRS complexes and absent p waves). Other frequently observed arrhythmias include atrial flutter, atrial tachycardia, junctional tachycardia, multiple APC's, multiple PVC's and ventricular tachycardia. [3]
In patients with new onset atrial fibrillation and no overt pre-existing heart disease, holiday heart syndrome should be considered as a part of differential diagnosis.
Treatment
All symptoms usually resolve themselves within 24 hours. Specific anti-arrhythmic therapy is not warranted.
References
- ↑ Ettinger PO, Wu CF, De La Cruz C, Weisse AB, Ahmed SS, Regan TJ (1978). "Arrhythmias and the "Holiday Heart": alcohol-associated cardiac rhythm disorders". Am. Heart J. 95 (5): 555–62. doi:10.1016/0002-8703(78)90296-X. PMID 636996. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help) - ↑ Menz V, Grimm W, Hoffmann J, Maisch B (1996). "Alcohol and rhythm disturbance: the holiday heart syndrome". Herz. 21 (4): 227–31. PMID 8805002. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help) - ↑ Alboni P, Gianfranchi L, Pacchioni F, Pedaci M (2005). "Antiarrhythmic drugs in patients with recurrent atrial fibrillation: where are we?". Italian Heart Journal : Official Journal of the Italian Federation of Cardiology. 6 (3): 169–74. PMID 15875505. Unknown parameter
|month=ignored (help)