Overview
The goal of this study is to assess the short-term effects of minimal and moderate drinking on atrial fibrillation (AFib) episodes in a real-world population diagnosed with 'come-and-go'/paroxysmal AFib. The question it aims to answer is:
Is there a greater occurrence of AFib episodes when participants are allowed to consume alcohol according to random assignment?
Participants will:
- Be given daily random assignments to avoid or not to avoid alcohol
- Wear an adhesive electrocardiographic (ECG) heart monitor
- Wear a wrist-worn fitness tracker
- Wear an anklet transdermal alcohol monitor
- Wear an adhesive glucose monitor
- Complete morning and evening surveys daily
Participants may be compensated up to $50 for full completion of the study. This study can be done in-person or remote.
Description
This study is a case-crossover randomized trial, where each participant will be instructed to avoid or not avoid drinking alcohol on randomly assigned days during a 14-day monitoring period. Participants will also wear an external ECG monitor, an alcohol monitor, a continuous glucose monitor, and a fitness tracker for up to two weeks while utilizing a mobile application to receive daily instructions/reminders on drinking and short surveys. The investigators will compare participant self-report of alcohol consumption, glucose monitoring, fitness levels, sleep health, and heart rhythm data in order to better understand the immediate relationship between drinking alcohol and heart rhythm. A total of 100 participants will be enrolled.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria
- Comfortable reading and writing in English
- Have a smartphone and willing and able to use the Eureka mobile application
- Currently diagnosed with paroxysmal AFib without a plan to change their AFib management during the two-week monitoring period
- At least one episode of AFib in the past month OR, in the judgement of a healthcare provider, could potentially have one episode of AF in the next month
- Drank alcohol at least 1 day/week on average in the past month
- Willing and able to be randomly assigned daily to avoid or not avoid drinking alcohol over a 2-week period
- Willing and able to provide written informed consent
Exclusion Criteria
- Only post-operative AFib
- Greater than 40% ventricular pacing
- History of alcohol addiction or abuse determined by self-reported history or AUDIT-C score
- Intolerance to alcohol
- History of liver disease
- Currently incarcerated
- Currently pregnant or trying to get pregnant