In a recent study published in Heart Rhythm , researchers evaluated temporal associations between energy drink consumption and the risk of cardiac events among patients with genetic heart diseases (GHDs). Study: Sudden cardiac arrest occurring in temporal proximity to consumption of energy drinks . Image Credit: Petro Artem/Shutterstock.
com The energy drink market has consistently grown in the United States (US). Most beverages claim to have natural ingredients, which are classified as dietary supplements. As such, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) monitoring of these products/manufacturers is not required.
Energy drinks contain caffeine and other stimulants, such as guarana and taurine, that the FDA does not regulate. This raises concerns about the cumulative effects of caffeine and unregulated ingredients. Studies have suggested a potential correlation between high caffeine intake and sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs).
GHD patients already exhibit a higher SCA risk. The increase in energy drinks’ popularity, higher caffeine content, and the presence of unregulated ingredients raise concerns about their use in GHD patients. The present study investigated whether a potential temporal relationship exists between energy drink intake and cardiac events among GHD patients.
They reviewed over 5,000 patients evaluated at the Mayo Clinic between 2000 and 2023 to identify SCA survivors. Among SCA survivors, the team identified those with a sentinel or breakthrough cardiac (BCE) ev.
