All published articles of this journal are available on ScienceDirect.
Electrocardiogram Changes with Acute Alcohol Intoxication: A Systematic Review
Vinod Namana2
Kirti Chopra3
Ankur Sinha2
Sushilkumar Satish Gupta2
Stephan Kamholz2
Norbert Moskovits2
Jacob Shani2
Gerald Hollander2
Authors Info & Affiliations
Abstract
Background:
Acute alcohol intoxication has been associated with cardiac arrhythmias but the electrocardiogram (ECG) changes associated with acute alcohol intoxication are not well defined in the literature.
Objective:
Highlight the best evidence regarding the ECG changes associated with acute alcohol intoxication in otherwise healthy patients and the pathophysiology of the changes.
Methods:
A literature search was carried out; 4 studies relating to ECG changes with acute alcohol intoxication were included in this review.
Results:
Of the total 141 patients included in the review, 90 (63.8%) patients had P-wave prolongation, 80 (56%) patients had QTc prolongation, 19 (13.5%) patients developed T-wave abnormalities, 10 (7%) patients had QRS complex prolongation, 3 (2.12%) patients developed ST-segment depressions.
Conclusion:
The most common ECG changes associated with acute alcohol intoxication are (in decreasing order of frequency) P-wave and QTc prolongation, followed by T-wave abnormalities and QRS complex prolongation. Mostly, these changes are completely reversible.
