Why does a heart ache after drinking? Alcohol can damage the myocardium and cause cardiomyopathy. The main cause of pain in the heart after drinking alcohol is coronary spasm. Blood pressure after drinking increases, as a result, rhythm disturbances can also occur. For treatment, a complete rejection of alcohol is required. After this, drug therapy is performed.
In this review, we will examine in detail why the heart aches after drinking, how to treat this symptom and what needs to be done to prevent it.
How does alcohol affect the heart?
This aspect should be given special attention. Alcohol in small doses can have a protective effect on blood vessels. This is due primarily to the fact that alcohol reduces the level of cholesterol and low density lipoproteins. In addition, it inhibits the penetration of these substances through the walls of blood vessels. Also, ethanol in an amount of less than 10 g per day is able to reduce the content of fibrinogen in the blood. This significantly reduces the risk of blood clots. But everything is good in moderation.
The main danger of regular drinking is the development of addiction. The intake of ethanol in large quantities can cause completely different manifestations. The following violations can be the consequences of acute alcohol intoxication:
- inhibition of contractile function of the heart muscle;
- prolonged vasospasm after short-term expansion;
- a sharp increase in blood pressure;
- myocardial malnutrition;
- angina attacks;
- decreased potassium in the blood;
- an increase in the level of catecholamines, and as a consequence, the risk of developing severe arrhythmia.
Main symptoms
In chronic alcohol abuse, alcoholic cardiomyopathy may develop. Due to this violation, protein synthesis and ATP molecules are disrupted in myocardial cells. Fat begins to be deposited inside the cells. As a result, the myocardium gradually begins to lose its function. In this case, the heart significantly increases in size. Flabby heart muscle ceases to cope with physical activity. This is manifested in the following:
- palpitations and shortness of breath when running or walking fast;
- pain in the heart;
- swelling of the legs;
- arrhythmia.
What should I do if my heart hurts after drinking? With the progression of these symptoms, acute coronary insufficiency, sudden cardiac arrest, ventricular fibrillation, and extensive heart attack can develop. All of these consequences can be fatal. Therefore, it is extremely important to know what constitutes first aid for pain in the heart.
Causes
Let's dwell on this in more detail. What causes a heartache after drinking? The main cause of this manifestation is vasospasm. Cardialgia can develop 2-3 days after the abuse of alcoholic beverages, as well as during recovery from binge. Usually this condition is characterized by increasing pain in the heart. They can be pulling or aching. The main feature is that taking nitroglycerin in this case does not bring any relief. The attack can last for hours. The condition is exacerbated by a feeling of lack of air and an increased heartbeat. Similar rhythm disturbances and pain can occur in completely healthy people. There is even such a term - "festive heart."
Characteristics
So what should you pay attention to first? For many, a condition in which, after drinking, a heartache and difficulty breathing, does not cause much concern. People believe that these are just manifestations of high blood pressure. Of course, with daily intake of alcohol, blood pressure increases. The degree of increase in this case is proportional to the dose of pure alcohol in the drink. Also, factors such as increased release of cortisol and adrenaline, increased insulin secretion, and an increase in blood calcium levels against a background of low levels of potassium and magnesium influence the tone of the vessel walls. Frequent drinking can lead to a persistent increase in the level of blood pressure characteristic of hypertension or acute vascular crises. In addition, alcohol stimulates the appearance of atherosclerotic changes in the walls of blood vessels in the case of regular use in high doses. Usually this is the cause of the development of atherosclerosis at a young age.
Side symptoms
What are they like? Usually, when after drinking, it hurts in the heart, a number of concomitant symptoms also occur. These include:
- headache at any time of the day;
- a feeling of constriction and fullness in the chest;
- noise in ears;
- flickering black dots and a veil in front of the eyes.
Vascular spasm is a normal body reaction to alcohol abuse. To normalize their tone, it will take time. Approximately 4-7 weeks after alcohol intoxication, the vessels will return to normal. Pain in the heart can be either an independent symptom or a separate manifestation of hypertension. The development mechanisms in this case are very similar, so it is very difficult to distinguish between them. To determine the true cause of pain, be sure to use a tonometer.
Help for the heart
What if my heart hurts after drinking? What to do at home? It is not always possible to consult a doctor. Therefore, drink lovers should know how to provide first aid on their own. The first thing to do when vascular symptoms appear is to stop taking alcohol and begin to cleanse the body. With high pressure, the day after drinking is recommended to take enterosorbent. Activated carbon or Enterosgel is best suited for this purpose. It is important to lower the pressure gradually.
What to accept?
What should I do if my heart hurts after drinking? What to accept? Both antihypertensives and sedatives can be used to eliminate hypertension. For effective treatment, it is imperative to temporarily reduce the use of salt, strong tea and coffee. You should also stop smoking. Before stabilizing the level of blood pressure, it is better to avoid physical and emotional stress.
Treatment for heart pathologies
In chronic diseases of the heart muscle, ethanol intoxication can lead to serious consequences. Treatment will be possible only with a complete refusal to drink alcohol. Heart preparations are simply incompatible with ethanol. You should also reduce the amount of salt and liquid in the diet. For treatment, you will also need drugs that support the nutrition of the heart muscle, B vitamins, aspirin, beta-blockers, magnesium and potassium salts. In case of heart failure, antispasmodics, diuretics and cardiac glycosides can also be used.
When should an ambulance be called?
Let's dwell on this aspect in more detail. What should I do if my heart hurts after drinking? Do I need to call an ambulance? Be sure to consult an experienced doctor if the following symptoms appear:
- headache, vomiting, and nausea;
- dizziness and progressive weakness;
- slurred speech;
- unilateral weakness in the arm or leg;
- skewed facial features;
- prolonged pain in the heart behind the sternum, extending to the shoulder or shoulder blade;
- interruptions in the work of the heart;
- attacks of shortness of breath.
What to do before the doctors arrive?
If the heart hurts after drinking, in no case should self-medicate. However, before the doctors arrive, something can still be done to alleviate the condition. Tincture of valerian and motherwort helps well. You can also try to give the patient 25-30 drops of valocordin or 2-3 tablets of validol. If the patient does not have diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, you can try to give him an aspirin tablet. To bring a person to life, rinsing the forearms with cold water will also help.
Other consequences
All structures of the human body respond to the presence of ethanol and its metabolic products in the blood. It is for this reason that the consequences can be different. The most common pathologies include:
- gastrointestinal bleeding;
- personality degradation;
- brain destruction;
- ulcerative lesions;
- tumor processes;
- pancreatic necrosis;
- cirrhosis of the liver;
- paralysis of the limbs;
- infertility and impotence.
Prevention
Does my heart always hurt after drinking? Is it possible to somehow stop the destructive effect of alcohol on the body? The first thing to do is stop taking alcohol. While taking alcohol, no medications can be prescribed. For this reason, you should definitely undergo a course of treatment for alcoholism. After removal from the state of binge, you can start therapy that improves metabolic processes in the heart muscle. Doctors can also recommend a course of drugs to restore liver function. During the treatment period, it is recommended to adhere to a special diet with a high content of protein products of low fat content, low salt and animal fats. A moderate physical activity will also give a good effect. If heart damage is in its infancy, the prognosis may be favorable with proper treatment.
Conclusion
In this review, we examined in detail what to do if the heart hurts after drinking. In any case, a prerequisite for alleviating the condition is the cessation of alcohol and the fight against signs of intoxication. Enterosorbents such as activated carbon can be started. Validol or valocardin can also alleviate the condition of the patient before the ambulance arrives. Preparations for the treatment of heart muscle can be prescribed only after the body has been completely cleansed of alcohol and its decay products.