Dr. Lauren Kay Evangelista
Heart Failure Specialist, Asian Cardiovascular Institute
Asian Hospital and Medical Center
Christmas is the season of love – when we celebrate and reconnect over good food and drinks. Drinking often involves more than just a sip of alcoholic concoctions. While we enjoy the season, it is as important to be cautious with our health. There is such a thing as Holiday Heart Syndrome, which, as the name implies, often happens this festive season. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with the love and joy we experience. It occurs when we let our guard down and go merrily drinking beyond the recommended intake.
So how does Holiday Heart Syndrome feel? Sufferers experience irregular heartbeat – you feel heart palpitations resembling the sensation of being scared or nervous. This often happens after binge drinking alcoholic beverages. One does not need to be old or have heart issues to experience this. Too many alcoholic drinks may trigger this cardiac event. This means we have to be mindful of how much we drink.
For women, the recommended daily limit is less than a bottle (300 ml) of beer, 30 ml of hard liquor, or 100 ml of wine. For men, the limit is about 700 ml of beer, about 44 ml of hard liquor, or about 150 ml of wine. These measures are for each day. Anyone who drinks beyond these recommended measures becomes predisposed to Holiday Heart Syndrome.
While Holiday Heart Syndrome is an acute occurrence that can resolve in 12-24 hours, for those with existing heart conditions and other risk factors such as diabetes and hypertension, it can be more complicated to resolve and may lead to something more serious. Early intervention upon experiencing symptoms is crucial. If anyone experiences palpitation upon drinking, consider going to urgent care. When the palpitation comes with breathlessness, chest pains, and dizziness, this means that the condition may be more serious.
So how do we avoid this from happening? Stand by the principle “moderation is key.” Follow the recommended daily alcohol limit and be mindful of food choices. Yes, we can still enjoy a bite or two of crispy lechon but excessive consumption plus alcohol may not be a good combination. The season also comes with some stress so we need to find ways to manage it as this can also contribute to the risk of developing the syndrome. We should also keep moving and ensure to have at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity exercise a week.
And before celebrating the season with loved ones, it’s important to prioritize ourselves first. We deserve the gift of health. At the Asian Hospital and Medical Center, we offer heart screening packages that can aid in learning and understanding your current heart health. The Asian Cardiovascular Institute is equipped with state-of-the-art systems to help in the early detection of possible heart conditions. We also have a team of compassionate heart experts to help you with your journey to keeping a healthy heart. This is such a wonderful present for yourself – invest in your health – before you spread cheers to others.
Learn more about Asian Hospital’s Heart Screening Packages here and the Asian Cardiovascular Institute here.