Holiday seasons are wonderful times for getting together with family and friends. We all know that when all your loved ones get together, it becomes a party. What a terrific time that is, however, be careful not to party too hard. Do not drink too much and end up in the Emergency Room for  Holiday Heart Syndrome.

Holiday Heart Syndrome

Holiday Heart Syndrome is characterized as irregular heart beats after periods of binge drinking. What is called Atrial Fibrillation, got it’s nickname “Holiday Heart Syndrome” because many people fell into atrial fibrillation after holidays and weekends when they drank more than normal. Even one night of binge drinking can affect the rhythm of your heart. When your heartbeat becomes irregular, it causes you to feel a sort of breathlessness. It may even feel like you are having a heart attack because of the severe pain in the center of your chest. Without prior knowledge or experience with Holiday Heart Syndrome, this will most likely be a cause of alarm even though it is not life threatening. Many Emergency rooms are filled with those that have this syndrome after the holidays and are unaware why they are feeling that way.

Anyone can get Holiday Heart Syndrome, despite your history of alcohol use. Those who drink heavily on a regular basis are just as susceptible to this as are those who drink little to no alcohol regularly. The arrhythmia is caused by an unprecedented amount of alcohol consumption not based on the actual number of drinks you had.

Binge drinking also changes your blood pressure. This can be very dangerous, especially if you are an avid drinker. Raises in your blood pressure weaken your heart muscle, that weakening of your heart muscle is what causes all kinds of heart problems. Your heart is the most important part of your body. It consistently pumps blood, oxygen, and nutrients to the rest of your body, if that muscle is weak, the rest of your body will not receive the necessary ingredients to live.

Although holidays are there to enjoy your time with your loved ones, limit the amount of alcohol you drink. Don’t overdo it and your heart will thank you for it the next day. Visit an Emergency Room if you are feeling symptoms of Holiday Heart Syndrome. For any other medical needs, visit Care Club.