Energy Drinks Linked to Dangerous Cardiac Arrhythmias in Patients with Genetic Heart Diseases: Study

A new study, published in Heart Rhythm, examined the potential dangers of consuming energy drinks for patients with genetic heart diseases.

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.

In the study, a cohort of 144 sudden cardiac arrest survivors was examined, of which seven patients (5%) had consumed one or more energy drinks in close proximity to their cardiac event. In addition to examining the consumption of energy drinks among the cohort of sudden cardiac arrest survivors, the researchers also looked closely at the type of cardiac event as well as the conditions surrounding the event, such as exercise and other stressors known to be associated with genetic heart disease-associated cardiac arrhythmias.

The results showed that among 144 sudden cardiac arrest survivors, 7 experienced an unexplained sudden cardiac arrest associated temporally with energy drink consumption. Three patients (43%) consumed energy drinks regularly. Six patients (86%) required a rescue shock, and 1 (14%) was resuscitated manually.

While the study did not prove direct causation, caution is advised, and doctors recommend that patients consume energy drinks in moderation.

"While there seemed to be a temporal relationship between energy drink consumption and the seven patients' sudden cardiac arrest event, a myriad of potential 'agitators' that could have also contributed to a genetic heart disease-associated arrhythmia occurred, like sleep deprivation, dehydration, dieting or extreme fasting, or the postpartum period. Although the relative risk is small and the absolute risk of sudden death after consuming an energy drink is even smaller, patients with a known sudden death predisposing genetic heart disease should weigh the risks and benefits of consuming such drinks in the balance,” said Michael J. Ackerman, lead investigator of the study.

Reference: Katherine A. Martinez, Sahej Bains, Raquel Neves, John R. Giudicessi, J. Martijn Bos, Michael J. Ackerman; Sudden cardiac arrest occurring in temporal proximity to consumption of energy drinks; Published: June 05, 2024; DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2024.02.018