Do you or someone you know have an addiction to energy drinks? Perhaps you might think twice about opening up that energy drink to start your day. A new study has shown that an energy drinking habit may be affecting your hearts’ ability to properly function. Though event recorders can help identify irregular heartbeats over a certain period of time, there have been recent cases of death linked to popular energy drinks and sudden cardiac arrest.
The recent study included healthy patients between the ages of 18 and 45, where researchers studied the QT interval after consuming one to three cans of energy drinks. The QT interval is a measurement of the time from electrical activation and inactivation of the lower chambers of the heart. The longer the QT interval, the more at risk you are for irregular heartbeats and sudden cardiac arrest. QT prolongation can ultimately lead to life-threatening heart conditions, so it’s important to limit the consumption of energy drinks to 16 ounces per day, at most.
Though more studies are likely needed to assess the correlation between energy drinks and heart rhythms, patients who are at risk of high blood pressure should use caution when consuming energy drinks. Researchers also found that those who consumed the drinks had raised systolic blood pressure by an average of 3.5 points, another risk that can lead not only to irregular heart rhythms, but can also increase your risk of stroke, heart attack and diabetes.
Event monitors may be necessary to help identify irregular heartbeats. Cardiac telemetry units allow physicians make quicker and more accurate diagnoses without the need to be at the doctor’s office. ReactDx specializes in cardiac monitoring products including Holter monitors, event recorders and telemetry units to help catch and treat potential heart conditions even sooner. For more information about our services and products, call us today at 1-800-23-HEART.
