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Consuming large quantities of alcohol is linked to excess risk for atrial fibrillation (AF), but what about more moderate intake? To answer the question, Swedish researchers conducted a prospective cohort study and then performed a meta-analysis that included their study and six others.
In the Swedish study, relative risks for AF among participants whose weekly alcohol intakes were 1 to 6 drinks, 7 to 14 drinks, 15 to 21 drinks, and >21 drinks, were 1.01, 1.07, 1.14, and 1.39, respectively, compared with those who had <1 drink weekly. Results were similar even when binge drinkers (i.e., those who consumed ≥5 drinks on a single occasion) were excluded. In the meta-analysis of seven studies (>12,000 cases of AF), relative risks associated with…