Study Adds Evidence That Energy Drinks Lead To Cardiac Complications

Energy drinks may lead to cardiac complications, as per a case study.

A case report in American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM)'s July to August issue "Journal of Addiction Medicine," as cited by Science Daily, revealed that increased caffeine levels in energy drinks may result to cardiovascular complications. Led by University of Florida's Dr. Maryam Sattari, the case revealed arrhythmias or abnormal heart rhythms as one of the adverse events linked to the consumption of energy drinks.

The case involved a 28-year-old male who was sent to the emergency department following episodes of vomiting with blood. Upon physical assessment, the only abnormal finding noted was tachycardia or elevated heart rate, which was about 130 beats per minute.

As per the electrocardiogram, the patient had atrial fibrillation, which is a common kind of arrhythmia; it is known to result into more serious complications if not managed. The patient underwent other diagnostic procedures and such tests did not reveal any other cardiac problem.

The medical history revealed that aside from drinking two to three beers, the patient also regularly drank two Monster energy drinks everyday, which have a total caffeine content of 320 milligrams. Along with this, there were no pertinent information in the client's history.

The patient's condition resolved after two days of taking his medications. Follow-up endoscopy revealed a tear of the esophagus and the stomach, which were presumably caused by forceful vomiting. After one year of follow-up, the patient reported no further arrhythmia symptoms.

Atrial fibrillation has various causes, but for Dr. Sattari, the consumption of energy drinks per day might have played a role. In a statement, as cited by Medical Xpress, Dr. Sattari and her colleagues said that they believed that energy drink consumption had played a key role, emphasizing that the 160mg caffeine content of the energy drink was about quadruple times more than in a caffeinated soft drink.

Case reports just like Dr. Sattari and his colleagues' were revealed as "suggestive, but not conclusive" that energy drinks could actually cause arrhythmias and and other heart complications. For Dr. Sattari, health care providers are encouraged to inquire about energy drink consumption in patients with unexplained arrhythmias.

Know more about the relationship of energy drinks and the heart here.