title: Alcohol consumption and risk and prognosis of atrial fibrillation among older adults: the Cardiovascular Health Study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The relationship of alcohol consumption with risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) is inconsistent in previous studies, and its relationship with prognosis of AF is undetermined.
  
  
  METHODS
  As part of the Cardiovascular Health Study, a population-based cohort of adults 65 years and older from 4 US communities, 5609 participants reported their use of beer, wine, and spirits yearly. We identified cases of AF with routine study electrocardiograms and validated discharge diagnoses from hospitalizations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 1232 cases of AF were documented during a mean of 9.1 years of follow-up. Compared with long-term abstainers, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios were 1.25 (95% CI, 1.02-1.54) among former drinkers, 1.09 (95% CI, 0.94-1.28) among consumers of less than 1 drink per week, 1.00 (95% CI, 0.84-1.19) among consumers of 1 to 6 drinks per week, 1.06 (95% CI, 0.82-1.37) among consumers of 7 to 13 drinks per week, and 1.09 (95% CI, 0.88-1.37) among consumers of 14 or more drinks per week (P trend = 0.64). In analyses of mortality among participants with AF, the hazard ratios were 1.27 (95% CI, 1.06-1.52) among former drinkers, 0.94 (95% CI, 0.76-1.18) among consumers of less than 1 drink per week, 0.98 (95% CI, 0.78-1.23) among consumers of 1 to 6 drinks per week, 0.73 (95% CI, 0.51-1.03) among consumers of 7 to 13 drinks per week, and 0.81 (95% CI, 0.59-1.11) among consumers of 14 or more drinks per week (P trend = 0.12).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Current moderate alcohol consumption is not associated with risk of AF or with risk of death after diagnosis of AF, but former drinking identifies individuals at higher risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA. kmukamal@bidmc.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Kenneth J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Mukamal
authors.forename: Bruce M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Psaty
authors.forename: Pentti M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Rautaharju
authors.forename: Curt D
authors.initials: CD
authors.lastname: Furberg
authors.forename: Lewis H
authors.initials: LH
authors.lastname: Kuller
authors.forename: Murray A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Mittleman
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gottdiener
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Siscovick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D012307:Risk Factors