Doctors Advise Caution as Energy Drinks May Trigger Life-Threatening Cardiac Arrhythmias in Patients with Genetic Heart Diseases

A new studyopens in new tab/window in Heart Rhythmopens in new tab/window, the official journal of the Heart Rhythm Society, the Cardiac Electrophysiology Society, and the Pediatric & Congenital Electrophysiology Society, published by Elsevier, examined the potential dangers of consuming energy drinks for patients with genetic heart diseases. A cohort of 144 sudden cardiac arrest survivors was examined at Mayo Clinic, of which seven patients (5%) had consumed one or more energy drinks in close proximity to their cardiac event. While the study did not prove direct causation, caution is advised, and doctors recommend that patients consume energy drinks in moderation.

Lead investigator of the study Michael J. Ackerman, MD, PhD, Genetic Cardiologist at Mayo Clinic and Director of the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Sudden Death Genomics Laboratory in Rochester, MN, says, [i"The energy drink market in the United States has been growing consistently over the past few years, raising concerns about the potential combined effects of caffeine consumption and additional unregulated ingredients in these beverages. Energy drinks are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), so researching the effects that these drinks have on our patients is of utmost importance"[/i]

Energy drinks contain caffeine ranging from 80 mg to 300 mg per serving, compared with 100 mg in an 8-ounce cup of brewed coffee. However, most of these energy drinks contain other stimulating ingredients in addition to caffeine that are unregulated by the FDA, such as taurine and guarana. It has been postulated that the highly stimulating and unregulated ingredients alter heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac contractility, and cardiac repolarization in a potentially pro-arrhythmic manner.

Ehud Chorin, MD, PhD, Tel Aviv Sourasky Medical Center and Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, co-author of the accompanying editorial commentary "Arrhythmogenic Foods – An Underestimated Medical Problem?opens in new tab/window[/url" says, [i"Establishing a probable cause of an arrhythmia includes inquiring about a potential exposure to toxins or medications. An increasing number of substances in the standard diet are found to have unwanted cardiac effects, prompting the consideration of a novel subcategory in a patient’s clinical history intake: arrhythmogenic foods. Energy drinks fall in this category. The findings reported in this study should be viewed in the context of the large body of evidence suggesting arrhythmogenic effects of certain foods, especially when consumed in large quantities or large concentration by high-risk patients"[/i]

The article is “Sudden Cardiac Arrest Occurring in Temporal Proximity to Consumption of Energy Drinks,” by Katherine A. Martinez, BS, Sahej Bains, BS, Raquel Neves, MD, John R. Giudicessi, MD, PhD, J. Martijn Bos, MD, PhD, and Michael J. Ackerman, MD, PhD ([url=https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2024.02.018]https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2024.02.018opens in new tab/window). The article is openly available for 30 days at https://www.heartrhythmjournal.com/article/S1547-5271(24)00189-9/fulltextopens in new tab/window.

This work was supported by the Mayo Clinic Windland Smith Rice Comprehensive Sudden Cardiac Death Program (MJA) and the Mayo Clinic Center for Translational Science Activities (CTSA) through grant number UL1TR002377 from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), a component of the National Institutes of Health (NIH).

“Energy Drinks and Sudden Death: If it Swims Like a Duck …,”by Peter J. Schwartz, MD, FHRS, Fulvio L.F. Giovenzana, MD, and Federica Dagradi, MD (https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2024.02.043opens in new tab/window). It is openly available for 30 days at https://www.heartrhythmjournal.com/article/S1547-5271(24)00215-7/fulltextopens in new tab/window.

The articles appear online in advance of Heart Rhythm, volume 21, Issue 7 (July 2024) published by Elsevier.

Heart Rhythmopens in new tab/window, the official Journal of the Heart Rhythm Societyopens in new tab/window, the Cardiac Electrophysiology Societyopens in new tab/window, and the Pediatric & Congenital Electrophysiology Societyopens in new tab/window, is a unique journal for fundamental discovery and clinical applicability. It integrates the entire cardiac electrophysiology (EP) community from basic and clinical academic researchers, private practitioners, engineers, allied professionals, industry, and trainees, all of whom are vital and interdependent members of our EP community. www.heartrhythmjournal.comopens in new tab/window

The Heart Rhythm Societyopens in new tab/window is the international leader in science, education, and advocacy for cardiac arrhythmia professionals and patients, and the primary information resource on heart rhythm disorders. Its mission is to improve the care of patients by promoting research, education, and optimal healthcare policies and standards. The Heart Rhythm Society is the preeminent professional group representing more than 8,000 specialists in cardiac pacing and electrophysiology from more than 94 countries. www.HRSonline.orgopens in new tab/window

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