Young holidaymakers risk heart issues over drink
The Irish Heart Foundation flagged the problem as it launched a campaign to force people to wake up to the link between excessive drinking and avoidable heart and stroke deaths.
Speaking at the launch of a nationwide campaign to tackle the issue, IHF medical director Dr Angie Brown said that while the issue affects almost all age groups, the most distressing cases are young people — including Leaving Cert and college students — who suffer potentially serious heart problems after returning from drink-fuelled holidays.
“The harsh reality is high alcohol consumption poses a particular risk of cardiac arrhythmias [irregular heart beats] such as atrial fibrillation [linked to a fivefold increase in the risk of stroke], or heart muscle disease known as cardiomyopathy.
“We’ve even seen arrhythmias develop in young people known as ‘holiday heart’ from excessive drinking and dehydration on holidays where they present with palpitations,” the consultant cardiologist added.
An IHF spokeswoman told the Irish Examiner while no figures are kept for this issue, medics across Ireland have repeatedly highlighted cases of “holiday heart” problems to the charity.
She added that while hospital intervention is normally short-term and manageable, failure to take the clear “warning signs” on board can allow the problem “to develop into having long-term consequences”.
In May 2012, when 19-year-old student Everett Glenn died in Pennsylvania, USA, from a heart attack after a heavy drinking session.
The ‘Say When Sooner’ campaign — which is being supported by Father Ted actor Frank Kelly, heart transplant survivor John Healy of The Restaurant, actress Caroline Morahan and the HSE — aims to encourage Irish people to cut down on their drinking habits in order to reduce the risk of heart and stroke deaths.
The IHF says more than one million Irish people are considered “harmful drinkers” due to their weekly consumption rates and binge-drinking habits.
Nine out of 10 people asked by the IHF knew alcohol increased the risk of stroke, eight out of 10 were aware of the link to heart problems, and eight out of 10 recognised the connection to blood pressure issues.
However, just one in 10 knew how much alcohol was contained in a standard drink — despite doctors insisting women should drink no more than 11 standard drinks (11 small glasses of wine or 5½ pints) and men 17 standard drinks, a week, if they want to avoid heart issues in the future.
Actor Frank Kelly said: “This campaign isn’t saying you can’t drink alcohol, but it is a reminder to all of us to say ‘when’ sooner and prevent serious health problems down the line,” he said.
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