ALCOHOL

can trigger a dangerous, irregular heartbeat – but caffeine, poor diet and a lack of sleep don’t, a new study suggests.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) occurs when nerves in the heart misfire, and affects more than 1.4 million Britons. Over time it can lead to blood pooling and clotting inside the heart, which can trigger a lifethreatening stroke. Many AF patients will live with the condition for years, during which time they will suffer episodes where the heart beats irregularly, leading to breathlessness and discomfort.

Researchers at the University of California monitored the heart rhythms of 450 patients with AF. While many believed drinking caffeine triggered an episode, the scientists found no link. Likewise, neither eating a large meal nor having a poor night’s sleep were found to trigger an irregular pulse.

The new study demonstrated that consumption of alcohol was the only trigger that consistently resulted in more AF episodes.