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The Munich Beer Related Electrocardiogram Workup (MunichBREW) study was conducted by researchers from the LMU University Hospital Munich Department of Cardiology, supported by the German Cardiovascular Research Centre (DZHK) and the European Commission. It was the first assessment of the acute effects of alcohol on electrocardiogram (ECG) readings. The study included more than 2,900 people attending the 2015 Munich Oktoberfest.
ECG readings were taken and breath alcohol concentrations were measured. Age, sex, heart disease, heart medications, and smoking status were recorded. Participants were, on average, 35 years old and 30% were women. The average breath alcohol concentration was 0.85 g/kg. Increasing breath alcohol concentration was significantly associated with sinus tachycardia of more than 100 beats per minute in 25.9% of the cohort.
The study examined in detail the quantitative ECG measurements in 3,012 participants. The researchers investigated the association between blood alcohol concentration and four ECG parameters: excitation (heart rate), conduction (PR interval, QRS complex), and repolarisation (QT interval). Increased heart rate was associated with higher breath alcohol concentration. The association was linear, with no threshold. Alcohol consumption had no effect on the other three parameters.
According to a cardiologist, more alcohol you drink, the higher your heart rate gets. Researchers are investigating whether the increase in heart rate with alcohol consumption could lead to heart rhythm disorders in the longer-term.
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