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Published on: February 26, 2013
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Alcohol Intake and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: RE-LY AF Registry Analysis
Alireza Oraii1, David Conen1,2, Linda S Johnson1,3
1Population Health Research Institute, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
Summary
Alcohol consumption in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients did not increase stroke risk but was linked to fewer heart failure (HF) hospitalizations. This protective effect on HF was mainly seen in high-income countries.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Alcohol intake is known to increase atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence.
- The impact of alcohol on cardiovascular outcomes in AF patients remains less understood.
- This study investigates the association between alcohol consumption levels and cardiovascular events in a global AF cohort.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine the relationship between varying levels of alcohol intake and major cardiovascular outcomes in patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
- To assess the impact of alcohol consumption on stroke, systemic embolism, heart failure hospitalizations, and major bleeding events.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional analysis of 15,400 patients with AF from the RE-LY AF registry across 47 countries.
- Patients were classified into: abstainers, light (<7 standard drinks/week), moderate (7-13 SD/week), and heavy (≥14 SD/week) drinkers.
- Logistic mixed-effects regression models analyzed associations with stroke/systemic embolism, heart failure hospitalization, and major bleeding at 1-year follow-up.
Main Results:
- Among 14,058 included patients, 86% were abstainers, 8.2% light, 3.3% moderate, and 2.6% heavy drinkers.
- Alcohol intake was not significantly associated with increased odds of stroke/systemic embolism across all consumption levels.
- Heavy drinkers showed numerically higher, but not statistically significant, odds of major bleeding (aOR=1.52).
- Alcohol consumption was associated with significantly lower odds of heart failure hospitalization (light: aOR=0.73; moderate: aOR=0.53; heavy: aOR=0.63).
Conclusions:
- Alcohol consumption in AF patients is unlikely to elevate the risk of thromboembolic events.
- Alcohol intake may be associated with a reduced risk of heart failure hospitalizations in AF patients.
- The observed protective association with heart failure was predominantly noted in upper-middle and high-income countries.
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