Cardiovascular Consequences of Excessive Alcohol Drinking via Electrocardiogram: A Systematic Review.
Lisa A Farinelli, Daria Piacentino, Brittney D Browning and 2 others
PMID 33646717WHAT IT FOUND
Heavy alcohol use was linked to abnormal ECG patterns, including rhythm changes and longer QT intervals.
Nurses can use this to watch for heart rhythm risk during assessment and when giving medicines that affect the QT interval.
Key findings
01The review included 153 studies that met criteria.
02Clinically significant QTc interval abnormalities were reported in all alcohol-exposure groups reviewed.
03Clinically significant QRS complex abnormalities were reported in all alcohol-exposure groups reviewed.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
The included studies varied in design, length, and how alcohol exposure and ECG findings were measured, so the review cannot give one clean estimate of risk. ECG changes may also be influenced by smoking, hypertension, and poor nutrition, which are common in people with alcohol use disorder. No single QT measurement method has been deemed most useful or accurate, so QT findings depend on interpretation. The paper reports 153 studies, not a total number of patients, so the size of the underlying evidence is unclear. The supplied text does not report funding or conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read an abnormal ECG as proof that alcohol alone caused heart damage. The review included heterogeneous studies and notes that smoking, hypertension, and poor nutrition can also affect cardiac function.