Question

A 25-year-old male with no previous cardiac complaints presents with arrhythmia. He gives a recent history of binge drinking. What is the pathology likely in this patient?

• A. Atrial fibrillation
• B. Supraventricular tachycardia
• C. Ventricular ectopics
• D. Atrial flutter

Hint:

New arrhythmia after a binge drinking episode in a healthy young heart is classic "holiday heart syndrome."

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

A young man with no earlier heart problems develops an arrhythmia right after a bout of heavy drinking. This clinical picture has a well known name, and the question wants the specific rhythm disturbance behind it.

1. Atrial fibrillation: This is the classic answer. Acute alcohol binges can trigger new-onset atrial fibrillation in people with an otherwise normal heart, a pattern well known as "holiday heart syndrome" because it is often seen after weekend or holiday binge drinking.
2. Supraventricular tachycardia: This can be triggered by many things, including caffeine or stress, but it is not the specific rhythm linked by name to binge drinking.
3. Ventricular ectopics: These are isolated extra beats from the ventricle and can occur with alcohol use, but they are not the classic, most likely finding in this setting.
4. Atrial flutter: This can occur with alcohol excess as well, but atrial fibrillation is the far more common and classic rhythm seen in this scenario.

The pairing of a healthy young heart, a recent binge drinking episode, and a new arrhythmia is the textbook description of holiday heart syndrome, which is caused by atrial fibrillation.

Let's summarize:

• Holiday heart syndrome is new-onset atrial fibrillation triggered by an acute alcohol binge in a person without prior heart disease.
• It usually resolves once the alcohol is cleared and no ongoing cardiac disease is found.

So the correct answer is atrial fibrillation.