Causal Association Between Alcohol Use and Atrial Fibrillation

Epidemiological studies report a dose-dependent association between alcohol consumption and the risk for atrial fibrillation (AF) and even for AF recurrence after ablation. Australian investigators randomized 140 patients in sinus rhythm who routinely consumed ≥10 alcoholic drinks weekly, who previously had ≥2 AF episodes, and who were without alcohol use disorder to undergo alcohol abstinence or to consume alcohol per usual (ACTRN12616000256471). The patients were using rhythm control strategies with no planned ablations (mean age, 62; 85% men).

Participants had implantable pacemakers or cardiac rhythm management devices and transmitted electrocardiogram tracings twice daily. The time since the first AF diagnosis was 6.9 years in the abstin…