New photo What drinking TWO glasses of wine a day does to your heart

Disturbing heart scans have revealed the damage regular drinking can inflict on the organ.

Evidence already exists to show that consuming too much alcohol boosts your risk of developing an irregular heartbeat.

And now scientists have found two glasses of wine a day is enough to damage the electrical signals which control the organ's rhythm.

Researchers have now released images showing the difference between the hearts of non-drinkers and those who consume 'moderate' amounts.  

Scans showing the strength of electric signals in parts of the patients' hearts reveals a non-drinker (left) has high-voltage signals throughout the entire heart (shown in pink), whereas the heart of a moderate drinker (right) has large patches where the strength of electricity is lower because scarring and tissue damage made it harder for them to travel through the organ

Scans showing how well electrical signals travel through part of the heart reveal larger areas of the non-drinker's heart (left) appear red and yellow, meaning they are conducting more electricity, whereas the signals are not conducted as far through the moderate drinker's heart (right), which has larger areas of blue where there is less electricity because of scarring

The amount of booze someone drinks is an 'important risk factor' for atrial fibrillation – an irregular heartbeat, the Australian experts say.

The condition raises the risk of having a stroke or heart failure, meaning drinking habits could signpost future heart problems.

The scans, produced by scientists at Alfred Hospital in Melbourne, show how well electricity travels through the atrium - where blood enters the heart.

All of the 75 volunteers who had scans taken were known to have atrial fibrillation. They were split into three categories, depending on how much they drunk. 

Electrical signals are vital to the function of the heart because, controlled by nodes linked to the nervous system, they tell it when to contract and relax.

A healthy heart needs the signals to flow freely and regularly through undamaged tissue.

Hearts which are scarred, from drinking and other unhealthy habits, are less able to conduct the signal and therefore more likely to be out of time.

The scans show a non-drinker's heart as entirely pink, which represents healthy tissue through which full-strength electric signals can flow.

Whereas the heart of what the scientists called a 'moderate drinker' has large patches of scarring shown in green, where electrical signals are weaker.

Their idea of moderate drinkers in the study were the people who had between eight and 21 alcoholic drinks per week – 14 on average.

However, 14 drinks per week is far more than the NHS's recommended weekly limit of 14 units, which equates to nine glasses of wine or seven pints of beer.

Even the 'mild' drinker – someone who has up to eight drinks in a week – has patches of tissue damage, though the scientists said it would not be a concerning amount.

Lead researcher Dr Peter Kistler said: 'Regular moderate alcohol consumption, but not mild consumption, is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation associated with lower atrial voltage and conduction slowing. 

'These electrical and structural changes may explain the propensity to atrial fibrillation in regular drinkers. 

'It is an important reminder for doctors who are caring for patients with atrial fibrillation to ask about alcohol consumption and provide appropriate counselling in those who over-indulge.' 

Past studies of more than 800,000 people have discovered alcohol increases a person's risk of developing an irregular heartbeat. 

However, there has been a lack of studies explaining exactly how alcohol can affect electrical currents. 

The new study, published in the journal HeartRhythm, offers an explanation and opens the door to further research. 

Heavy drinking has become one of the biggest causes of severe illness among the baby boomer generation, official figures showed last year.

Alcohol is now the sixth most common cause of disability among people in their 50s and 60s, up from 16th in 1990, Public Health England data revealed. 

WHAT IS ATRIAL FIBRILLATION?

Atrial fibrillation is a heart condition that causes an irregular and often abnormally fast heart rate.

A normal heart rate should be regular and between 60 and 100 beats a minute when you're resting.

You can measure your heart rate by feeling the pulse in your neck or wrist.

In atrial fibrillation, the heart rate is irregular and can sometimes be very fast. In some cases, it can be considerably higher than 100 beats a minute.

This can cause problems including dizziness, shortness of breath and tiredness.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common heart rhythm disturbance, affecting around 1 million people in the UK.

It can affect adults of any age, but it's more common in older people. It affects about 7 in 100 people aged over 65.

You may be aware of noticeable heart palpitations, where your heart feels like it's pounding, fluttering or beating irregularly, often for a few seconds or, in some cases, a few minutes.

You should make an appointment to see your GP if:

• you notice a sudden change in your heartbeat


• your heart rate is consistently lower than 60 or above 100 (particularly if you're experiencing other symptoms of atrial fibrillation, such as dizziness and shortness of breath)


• See your GP as soon as possible if you have chest pain.

Source: NHS 

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News Pictures What drinking TWO glasses of wine a day does to your heart

You don’t have to pack away your bikini just because you’re the wrong side of 20. These body-beautiful stars reveal their secrets to staying in shape and prove you can smoulder in a two-piece, whatever your age. Read on and be bikini inspired!

TEENS
Hayden Panettiere
Size: 8
Age: 18
Height: 5ft 1in
Weight: 8st

To achieve her kick-ass figure, Hayden – who plays cheerleader Claire Bennet in Heroes – follows the ‘quartering’ rule. She eats only a quarter of the food on her plate, then waits 20 minutes before deciding whether she needs to eat again.

Hayden says: “I don’t have a model’s body, but I’m not one of those crazy girls who thinks that they’re fat. I’m OK with what I have.”

Nicollette says: “I don’t like diets – I see it, I eat it! I believe in eating healthily with lots of protein, vegetables and carbs to give you energy.”

kim cattrall

Size: 10-12
Age: 52
Height: 5ft 8in
Weight: 9st 4lb

SATC star Kim swears by gym sessions with Russian kettle bells (traditional cast-iron weights) and the South Beach Diet to give her the body she wants. To avoid overeating, Kim has a radical diet trick – squirting lemon juice on her leftovers – so she won’t carry on picking.

Kim says: “I am no super-thin Hollywood actress. I am built for men who like women to look like women.”
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