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Podcast: UC Science Today
Episode:

A health problem that arises most often post-holidays
Category: Science & Medicine
Duration: 00:01:03
Publish Date: 2017-01-10 18:00:00
Description: Hopefully you made it through the holiday season safely and in good health. According to Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, there is something called ‘holiday heart syndrome’ – basically, a link between excessive alcohol consumption and atrial fibrillation. "Those who drank more alcohol tended to have larger left atrium, those with large atrium are more prone to atrial fibrillation. Atiral fibrillation is the most common abnormal heart rhythm that we see, it affects millions of individuals and it is a very important cause of stroke." But there’s evidence that has shown moderate consumption of alcohol could help prevent heart attacks. Such conflicting studies confuse patients, who often ask their doctor ... "Should I drink alcohol, should I avoid alcohol, and frankly - we still really don't know. Different patients respond differently to alcohol." One thing is clear to all researchers: while occasional drinking can lift your holiday spirit and will do no harm, excessive alcohol consumption is never good for anyone.
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