Alcohol intake may affect heart
Drinking alcohol on a regular basis may slightly raise men's risk of developing a type of irregular heartbeat known as atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter, according to a large new Danish study.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of irregular heartbeat. The condition causes the heart to pump blood less efficiently, allowing blood to pool within its chambers and increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, and heart failure.

Researchers found that men who drank moderate (more than 2 drinks per day) or heavy amounts of alcohol were about 40% more likely to develop atrial fibrillation compared with those who drank the least. In women, moderate drinking (no more than one drink per day) did not appear to significantly increase the risk of atrial fibrillation. However, researchers say that their findings conflict with some previous studies on the relationship between alcohol use and atrial fibrillation. Several studies have found no association between alcohol use and the risk of developing an irregular heartbeat, but others have suggested that moderate drinking alcohol reduces this risk.