Wine is not so fine after all
View(s):Drinking just one glass of wine a day could trigger a stroke, heart failure or dementia, researchers have warned. Moderate consumption of wine or spirits – defined as between one and three drinks a day – increased the risk of an irregular heartbeat, known as atrial fibrillation (AF). The condition is one of the most common heart rhythm problems and significantly raises the risk of stroke.
This is because when the upper chambers of the heart do not pump efficiently, as in atrial fibrillation, there is a risk of blood clots forming. In extreme cases, AF can cause heart failure and has also been linked to Alzheimer’s disease by reducing blood flow to the brain. The study, which tracked the food and alcohol consumption of middle-aged and elderly people over 12 years, found the more people drank on a single occasion, the higher the risk of AF.
Atrial fibrillation causes a fast and irregular heartbeat, usually over 100 beats a minute. Other symptoms include dizziness, breathlessness and tiredness
The most obvious symptom of atrial fibrillation is becoming aware of a fast and irregular heartbeat (palpitations), usually over 100 beats a minute. Other symptoms include dizziness, breathlessness, chest pain (angina) and tiredness.