Can Alcohol Withdrawal Cause Chest Tightness?

How Does Alcohol Withdrawal Harm the Heart?

Alcohol’s effects on the body are well-researched. The central nervous system (CNS), consisting of the brain and spinal cord, is altered in numerous ways by drinking. Alcohol acts as a CNS depressant, reducing brain activity responsible for blood pressure and heart rate. You may experience an erratic heart rhythm, such as a fluttering sensation in your chest, and your blood pressure may drop.

Once your body has fully broken down and eliminated the alcohol in your system, the depressant effects wear off and give way to the excitatory brain activity responsible for high blood pressure and abnormal heart rate or rhythm. In the case of withdrawal, these effects may be more pronounced as your system attempts to readjust after long-term use.

Alcohol & Fast or Rapid Heartbeat

Your heart rate is a product of factors like activity level, hydration status, and overall cardiovascular health. A normal resting heart rate is 60 to 100 beats per minute, although some individuals with extensive physical training may have a lower reading. Rates outside this range can indicate problems with your heart, blood vessels, or brain.

When consuming alcohol, the CNS depressant effects initially lower your blood pressure, which means your arteries relax and dilate (widen). However, this means blood is not reaching other parts of your body as efficiently, so the heart pumps more rapidly to compensate. After one or two drinks, research indicates blood pressure may rise, and sustained tachycardia (rapid heart rate) is the result of compensatory circulatory mechanisms and dehydration caused by alcohol.

With long-term drinking, your body becomes used to receiving calming, inhibitory messages from alcohol. During withdrawal, however, too many excitatory brain chemicals are firing without alcohol’s depressant effects, which stresses the cardiovascular system. You may experience a rapid heart rate and elevated blood pressure during this time.

Alcohol & Abnormal Heart Rhythm

Unlike heart rate, heart rhythm is much less variable in healthy individuals. A skipped beat or flutter here and there is usually no cause for concern, but prolonged rhythm disorders represent a serious health threat.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is an abnormal heart rhythm characterized by the upper chambers of the heart (atria) fluttering rather than fully contracting. Blood does not move efficiently to the lower chambers (ventricles) for circulation to the lungs and the rest of the body. Drinking increases heart rate variability, leading to irregular patterns in rhythm.

Symptoms of AFib Include:

• Sensation of an irregular heartbeat.
• Heart pounding or fluttering.
• Dizziness or lightheadedness.
• Fatigue.
• Shortness of breath with minimal activity.
• Chest pain or tightness.

Not all cases of atrial fibrillation show symptoms. In cases of chronic drinking, AFib can become permanent. When left untreated, it raises the risk of stroke and heart failure.

Alcohol & Spasms in the Heart’s Blood Vessels

In addition to delivering blood to all tissues in your body, the heart must also supply oxygenated blood to itself. Coronary arteries surround your heart and keep the heart muscle healthy.

Prinzmetal angina is a condition of chest pain and tightness caused by variable coronary artery spasms. The spasm may develop after exposure to substances such as alcohol or cocaine that cause the arteries to constrict spontaneously. Tightened blood vessels prevent adequate blood from reaching the heart tissue (ischemia), leading to cardiac injury and arrhythmias if not addressed medically.

Alcohol & Sudden Cardiac Death

Sudden cardiac death occurs when the heart abruptly stops beating (cardiac arrest) or develops a dangerous rhythm that cannot be corrected. Despite life-saving measures, these conditions are fatal within one hour of symptom onset.

The risk of sudden cardiac death is greatest among people who have five or more alcoholic beverages per day. As previously mentioned, alcohol interferes with your nervous system’s ability to maintain a proper heart rhythm. Ventricular fibrillation (VFib) is a dangerous, commonly fatal arrhythmia that renders the heart unable to pump blood to itself or the rest of the body.

Taking certain medications that interfere with normal heart rhythm or having a congenital heart disorder raises the risk of cardiac death, which is further increased by alcohol use.