It’s bad after alcohol, what to do, my heart hurts. What to do if your heart hurts after drinking alcohol

Why does my chest hurt after drinking alcohol? Feeling pain or some pressure in the chest can be a sign of both minor health problems such as indigestion, and much more dangerous, serious diseases. When your chest hurts after drinking alcohol, this is a serious reason to think about your health. Therefore, it is important to know, at least in general terms, the basic symptoms of the most severe diseases with such prerequisites, to understand the nuances of chest pain in order to identify possible problems in advance and begin treatment on time. Causes of chest pain Diseases of the gastrointestinal tract can be a source of pain that will spread to the chest. With a peptic ulcer, pain increases on an empty stomach and decreases after eating. With an unhealthy gallbladder or pancreas, pain appears after a diet violation. Heartburn can also cause a burning pain behind the sternum; this occurs when hydrochloric acid refluxes into the esophagus from the stomach. Myocardial infarction is usually accompanied by pain of varying severity - from mild to intense. It is characterized by pressing or burning pain behind the sternum, sometimes radiating to the arms, neck, lower jaw, upper abdomen, and under the left shoulder blade. The pain of a heart attack does not go away quickly; it intensifies when lying down. Rest and medications do not completely relieve pain. It is worth remembering about myocardial infarction when chest pain appears in stressful situations and physical activity, even in fairly young people. During an attack of angina, the pain sensations are similar to those that occur during a myocardial infarction. They differ in the duration of pain - this attack lasts about 3-5 minutes, after taking medications or stopping physical activity it goes away. With pulmonary embolism, sudden pain appears in the sternum, shortness of breath increases, and coughing up blood is possible. Pain that intensifies when bending, turning, or when pressing on the area of pain, and subsides when lying down, is most typical for osteochondrosis. Chest pain due to alcohol abuse People often experience chest pain when drinking alcohol. It can hurt in different ways, it all depends on the cause. This cause is sometimes alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which is a disease that manifests itself in the form of diffuse damage to the heart muscle and is caused by long-term alcohol consumption. Usually manifests itself as progressive heart failure, and may sometimes be accompanied by myocardial ischemia. Alcoholic cardiomyopathy has its own symptoms, including: Aching, pulling, stabbing pain, localized in the nipple area, in the upper part of the heart, sometimes the entire precordial area is involved; Does not depend on physical activity; Appears gradually; May last for several hours or even days and is not relieved by nitroglycerin; Painful sensations are often combined with a feeling of dissatisfaction from inhalation, palpitations, and coldness of the extremities. In the first stages of this disease, making a correct diagnosis helps to identify, when collecting an anamnesis, the connection between the appearance of cardialgia and alcoholic excess - pain appears the next day or a few days after excessive alcohol consumption, when the patient comes out of a binge state. A person with chest pain due to alcoholism is characterized by certain signs: Facial hyperemia, Increased hand tremors; Already in the later stages of the disease, an objective examination reveals an increase in the parts of the heart; Symptoms of heart failure. Pain in the heart after drinking alcohol Alcoholic drinks have a detrimental effect on the entire body as a whole, and the cardiovascular system is no exception. After drinking alcohol, both mild pain in the heart and a severe, extremely life-threatening condition can appear - especially when alcohol is taken by a person suffering from any heart disease. After drinking alcoholic beverages, their harmful elements quickly enter the circulatory system and circulate throughout the body for 5-7 hours (the period of alcohol elimination depends very much on a person’s weight and his individual characteristics). All this time, the harmful effects of alcohol on the heart and other organs do not stop. Alcohol is considered a good blood pressure lowering agent in certain situations. This is true only for a short time immediately after taking it - then the vessels begin to dilate and the pressure drops. However, in the medium term, alcohol also increases your heart rate, which ultimately leads to increased blood pressure. Among other things, the consequences of alcohol consumption include the proliferation of connective tissue in the blood vessels and heart, as well as dystrophy of the heart muscles. As a result, pathological processes in the heart provoke the development of oxygen starvation and arrhythmia. With constant drinking of alcoholic beverages, the heart wears out very quickly. In addition, it increases in size - this is a kind of compensatory mechanism that is aimed at reducing the load on the weakened muscle, as a result of which the heart becomes overgrown with fatty and connective tissue. Such an oversized heart is called a “bull” or “beer” heart. Pathological changes in the heart muscle are a direct consequence of regular alcohol poisoning. The principle of action of ethanol and all its derivatives on the heart and blood vessels has been quite well studied in our time. Cardiac muscle tissue gets its energy mostly from free fatty acids, and alcohol disrupts the standard process of oxidation and energy production. As a result, tissues do not receive enough oxygen and are subject to destruction from derivative oxidation processes. Thus, various pathological processes are launched in the heart. Another possible cause of heart pain after drinking is an exacerbation of chronic diseases of the cardiovascular system. It is not for nothing that doctors warn that such patients should not drink alcoholic beverages. After all, alcohol has a delayed destructive effect on the heart of a healthy person, but an already damaged heart may well not be able to withstand such loads.

From heart rhythm disturbances to death - these can be the consequences of heavy drinking. Initially, a person will notice shortness of breath, which may be accompanied by attacks of weakness and the development of swelling in the tissues. Night coughing attacks will indicate the accumulation of excess fluid in the lungs. Over time, even a slight effort will “burn” the left side of the chest. High blood pressure will be a natural phenomenon, its jump will be noted even after 1-2 glasses of vodka, bloody diarrhea and dark urine are possible. The chances of a myocardial infarction will increase, “glitches” will appear, and “accurate” epilepsy is possible.

If your heart hurts after drinking, you feel dizzy, or something incomprehensible happens, don’t let the problem take its course; nervousness, glitches, and depression will not serve as an excuse. It's time to draw the proper conclusions, otherwise it will be too late for treatment.

What to do when your heart hurts after another dose of “hot”? How to get rid of painful sensations? How to prevent seizures and hallucinations? First of all, if symptoms appear while drinking alcohol, you need to stop the “holiday” and clear your stomach of ethyl alcohol that has not yet been absorbed by the body. This will help soothe the left side of your chest. You should not wait until rapidly increasing pressure increases the likelihood of developing a heart attack, “long-term” epilepsy is triggered, or internal organs cannot withstand wear and tear (as indicated by diarrhea and urine of an unnatural color).

Artificially induced vomiting gives very good results. To do this, you will have to drink a weak solution of potassium permanganate in a fairly large amount. If you don’t have it at hand, you can simply “drown yourself” with water until you hiccup and go to a place where vomiting won’t hurt anyone. Just do not practice this method of getting out of alcoholic intoxication regularly. Why? Vomiting is not a treatment - but first aid, which quite radically leads to tone, prevents high blood pressure, increased heart rate, convulsions, and hallucinations.

It is possible to sober up, get rid of heart pain, and prevent hand tremors, but frequent vomiting will ruin your stomach. After cleansing it in this way, one day you may vomit blood. Therefore, it is better to get rid of alcohol a little less effectively, but still very effectively, by absorbing a certain amount of sorbents. For example, the stomach will require almost a handful of activated carbon. Take 1 tablet per 10 kg of weight. The urine, feces (and sometimes diarrhea) of a person poisoned by alcohol will contain a huge amount of toxins.

If your heart hurts the next day or a few hours later, cucumber pickle will help relieve unpleasant symptoms and soothe the left side of your chest.

What should you do now? Remove toxins from the body as quickly as possible, cleanse the stomach, prevent “glitches” and the appearance of annoying hiccups, stop hand tremors. There is nothing better than this folk remedy.

What can you do before the doctors arrive?

The condition after binge drinking is terrible: tremors of the hands and eyelids, heavy head, and other troubles. Hallucinations, vomiting, hiccups are possible, and depression begins against a background of increasing anxiety. In general, everything is quite bad. And if your heart still hurts without stopping, you need to lie on your right side and urgently seek professional medical help. Through hand tremors and “glitches,” “acquired” epilepsy can manifest itself and a heart attack may develop.

While the ambulance is traveling, provide the person with all possible assistance:

Lay him on his right side.
Provide access to fresh air into the room. Epilepsy, along with heart attack, prefer stuffiness.
Apply something cold to the back of the head, temples and neck of the patient if there is a headache.
Help me wash.
Leave the person alone.

The use of potent medications before a professional diagnosis is made is unwise. However, if the victim has previously had heart disease, taking validol or corvalol is indicated. If symptoms appear some time after drinking, this fact signals the development of heart failure. You can eat high-calorie hot food, drink strong tea or coffee. What is not recommended to do is treat with alcohol. Alcohol will dilate blood vessels for a short time, but then with an aggravating effect everything will return to normal.

Why are the consequences of heavy drinking harmful to the heart? Circulation of alcohol in the blood for many hours increases pulse, blood pressure, and disrupts normal blood circulation. The contraction frequency of the heart muscle decreases due to its inhibition by the green serpent. Those who previously had cardiovascular diseases will note their return, and with a number of aggravating symptoms.

This trouble must be overcome

Why can’t alcohol’s effect on the heart be considered separately from other processes in the body? The fact is that as ethyl alcohol dissolves throughout the body of a drunkard, it becomes the cause of such an unpleasant phenomenon as withdrawal syndrome. This is a whole complex of mental and physical symptoms (hallucinations, obsession with hiccups, depression, etc.) that manifest themselves within 3-5 days. And all the numerous and varied complications have a bad effect on the full functioning of the heart.

Epilepsy, which occurs against the background of many years of drunkenness, can lead to deterioration in the functioning of the “motor”. A burning pain will pierce the left side of the chest, and cramps will appear. Acquired epilepsy can be treated if you stop drinking.
No less than convulsions, hallucinations are dangerous for the heart. No matter how funny “glitches” may look from the outside, their impact is destructive. Hallucinations destroy the psyche and heart muscle.
An alcoholic's blood pressure is also abnormal. High blood pressure, like low blood pressure, is dangerous for the heart.
Hand tremors against the background of such serious problems as epilepsy, hallucinations and bloody discharge seem to be an insignificant detail. However, it is not. Hand tremors indicate liver failure.
The appearance of annoying hiccups may signal polyneuritis. It is possible to accurately diagnose the disease only after stopping drinking.
Alcoholics know firsthand how dizzy they feel. A person can feel extremely bad, the world loses stability and certainty. I want to lie on my side and close my eyes. And if you feel dizzy after every binge, it becomes more and more difficult to get rid of this phenomenon.
Most alcoholics experience depression after prolonged drinking. Physical ailments have a depressing effect on the spiritual state (convulsions, “glitches,” the presence of annoying hiccups, pressure, hand tremors, strange discharge from the anus, dark urine, vomiting). When you sweat all the time, constantly want to drink, when self-esteem is lost, depression is inevitable.

Everything that happens to an alcoholic affects the work of his heart. If you feel that something is wrong with your “engine”, it’s time to get rid of drunkenness.

It's not that far from incessant hiccups to myocardial infarction. What is not normal should be treated, but in an alcoholic stupor this is impossible.

"Shameful" problems of alcoholics

Hand in hand with heart disease go problems with the anus and dark-colored urine. Discharge with blood (may be diarrhea) during withdrawal symptoms is not uncommon. The stomach, “washed” with a large amount of alcohol, is very vulnerable. Diarrhea or bloody stools cannot be ignored or ignored; excessive shyness and depression can cost your life.

It happens that 1.5-2 hours after the next dose a person notices black feces. Its color resembles coal. In addition, the stool has a tarry odor. This phenomenon is explained by intraintestinal bleeding. That is why black feces should immediately alert you, even before the onset of irreversible processes in the body. It should be noted that discharge with blood from the anus can stop on its own; the person, having calmed down, will forget about the problem. However, a new binge will bring back both the pain in the heart and the black feces. Don’t be shy about talking about bloody discharge from the anus, and don’t justify postponing a visit to the doctor by saying that you’re depressed—you can’t hesitate in this case.

Black stool after drinking alcohol almost always indicates bleeding from the anus. Only a specialist can make an accurate diagnosis after examination. The stomach, esophagus, and duodenum are at risk. The only exception is black feces after drinking red wine. This phenomenon is explained by the presence of a very large amount of iron compounds in the drink and is the norm.

Sometimes, after quitting a binge, diarrhea begins. The explanation is very simple - any body defends itself as best it can: diarrhea effectively cleanses the stomach and intestines of toxins. However, if blood appears from the anus, you should immediately consult a doctor.

Dark urine is also a serious reason for medical examination. Its appearance after heavy drinking may indicate cirrhosis or hepatitis. If such urine becomes a companion to waste, get tested immediately.

Alcoholic drinks generally have a negative effect on the body and lead to the development of various diseases. And first of all, there is an extra load on the organs of the gastrointestinal tract and the cardiovascular system. People often feel unwell after drinking, and this is already a reason to worry and see a doctor. You should find out why your heart hurts after drinking alcohol by undergoing an appropriate examination at the clinic. A symptom may indicate the presence of a dangerous illness that cannot be ignored.

Why does pain occur?

Chest pain is considered a dangerous phenomenon that should not be trifled with. It may indicate a pathology of the cardiovascular system, and in this case it is necessary to make an accurate diagnosis and, probably, prescribe treatment. If your heart hurts after drinking alcohol, there are different reasons for this. First, let's look at how drinking affects this organ.

Let’s not mention that various organs and parts of the body can get sick after an alcoholic drink. Many people have learned from their own experience that alcohol leads to migraines, poisoning and other negative consequences. If your heart hurts after a binge, then this phenomenon cannot be considered harmless. And it is especially important to urgently take action for people who have problems with this organ.

Alcohol affects both the mechanical and chemical performance of the heart. Magnesium and potassium are distributed incorrectly, the metabolic process is disrupted, and this leads to fatigue of the heart muscle. And this has its consequences:

Vascular atherosclerosis.
Arrhythmia.
Cardiomyopathy.
Hypertension.
Myocardial dystrophy.

Of course, you can live with something like this, but the question is the quality of existence. After all, if a person has a diseased heart, then he will have to limit himself in many ways. And if you do not take medications and do not follow the doctor’s recommendations, the disease will become more complicated. As a result, a heart attack, stroke, paralysis or sudden cardiac arrest may occur. Death is likely if the disease is left untreated.

The more a person drinks, the more his heart will be damaged.

For example, microscars will appear on myocardial tissue. And then connective and adipose tissue forms in its place. The cells themselves will experience oxygen starvation, and this contributes to the development of coronary disease.

At first, after drinking alcohol, the pain in the heart is weak and short-lived. It goes away on its own when alcohol and all accompanying toxic substances leave the body. For those who drink alcohol frequently, the pain in the heart will be stronger each time. They occur mainly during a hangover. They may be accompanied by shortness of breath, swelling of the extremities, and numbness in the arms or legs.

If a person drinks a lot, then he definitely needs to be checked by a doctor. It is possible that he developed cardiomegaly or heart failure. All this is formed due to the breakdown of toxic alcohol products that the liver does not have time to filter. As a result, they destroy myocardial cells.

Unfavorable changes occur in the heart after alcohol, and the load on it increases significantly. What can be done in this case? The answer is obvious - stop drinking alcohol. Otherwise, treatment will be useless, as the person will continue to harm his health.

What to do?

Short-term heart pain that goes away on its own does not require special measures. Of course, after it it is better to visit a doctor and get checked, but it does not pose a risk to life. It’s another matter if after drinking alcohol your heart hurts and doesn’t stop. Then you need to urgently act to stabilize the person’s condition.

Of course, you need to immediately call an ambulance. If the patient feels extremely unwell, then, without waiting for the doctors, he will need to take immediate action on his own.

Provide access to fresh air. To do this, you need to open a window, door or turn on the air conditioner. The flow of oxygen will make breathing easier. It is recommended to unbutton the person’s shirt, remove the tie and other items that tighten the neck or put pressure on the chest.
It is necessary to ensure that the person takes the correct body position. The patient should be placed on a flat, hard surface. You need to place a cushion from a blanket or a pillow under your feet. The lower limbs should be elevated by 10-12 cm.
Next you need to take a device to measure pressure. In such situations it often increases. To normalize it, you need to place a compress of vinegar on your head. It is also advisable to give drugs such as Raunatin. Blood pressure must be stabilized.
Give medicine for the heart muscle. If this is not the first time a person has encountered something like this, then it is quite possible that he has first aid medications with him. This could be Valerian, Corvalol, Validol and others.

When your heart hurts after a binge, what to do is now obvious. And, we can only add that you will need to remain calm and not make the person nervous. Moreover, you should not drink more, as this will only worsen the situation. After all, intoxicating drink is not a medicine; moreover, it acts as a poison, which caused interruptions in the functioning of the cardiovascular system.

Even if the symptom can be eliminated on your own, you will still need to see a doctor. After all, the measures described above do not help get rid of the disease, but only eliminate discomfort in the chest. Therefore, it is necessary to undergo an examination to determine the underlying cause and find out how the disease can be cured.

Naturally, it is necessary to give up alcohol or at least reduce it to a minimum.

Otherwise, even the right therapy will not give the desired result. If you continue to lead an incorrect lifestyle and indulge in bad habits, then in the end you can not only significantly weaken your health, but also die earlier than expected. You need to think about whether alcoholic drinks are worth your life.

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The content of the article

What to do when your heart hurts after drinking alcohol? Should I call an ambulance or is it enough to drink some brine? Let's try to find out.

How does alcohol affect the heart?

Folk remedies for hangovers

Water

The most important assistant in the fight against alcohol breakdown products is clean water. Add a spoonful of salt and sugar per liter of liquid. The solution will maintain the water-electrolyte balance of the body and restore the volume of circulating blood. The thicker the blood, the harder it is for the heart to work. Brine works well, but not marinade. The second contains acetic acid, one of the oxidation products of ethanol.

Shower

Toxins come out through the pores. So feel free to take a cool shower. Baths are not recommended, as are other procedures with hot water.

Rest

Do not overload the myocardium, rest, minimizing physical activity. They will only make the poor heart work even harder. The best thing to do is drink water, wash yourself and go to bed.

Medicines

Heart medications

If your heart hurts after alcohol, if there is tachycardia, arrhythmia or extrasystoles, need heart medications. Do not ignore this condition - the “flame motor” wears out very quickly.

If you have a hangover, forget about traditional heart medications. with phenobarbital, diphenhydramine and large amounts of alcohol - they will only aggravate the condition.

Fast and effective cardiotonic drugs are ideal Cardiovalen drops based on four plants –

Alcohol abuse causes irreparable harm to the body and leads to the development of pathologies of all organs and systems of the body. The liver and heart are primarily affected. There is a high percentage of heart pathologies in people who drink. Pathologies must be treated on time, otherwise death is possible.

Read also

Even a healthy person, after a large dose of alcohol, may experience heart pain and irregular heartbeat, but these symptoms quickly pass. People who are excessively addicted to alcohol experience high blood pressure, an arrhythmic pulse, heart pain and tachycardia often appear, and cardiovascular diseases progress. To understand why the heart often hurts after drinking alcohol, and what to do in such cases, you need to understand what processes occur in the body after drinking.

Why does my heart hurt after drinking?

Peripheral vessels dilate under the influence of alcohol - this explains why even after a small amount of alcohol a feeling of warmth occurs. Then the lumen of the blood vessels narrows with a strong increase in the tone of the vascular walls. This increases the load on the heart, causing high blood pressure and irregular pulse. If you drink alcohol constantly, vascular disorders will become chronic.

Under the influence of ethanol, blood clotting increases, red blood cells stick together, and vascular permeability deteriorates, which promotes thrombus formation. If you combine alcohol and smoking, the heart will suffer even more damage and additional stress. As a result of changes in the composition of the blood and blood vessels, oxygen starvation occurs. In addition, heart muscle cells are directly exposed to the toxic effects of ethanol. The interaction of nicotine with alcohol can accelerate the development of atherosclerosis. Impaired blood flow in the coronary arteries causes angina and myocardial infarction.

An alcoholic’s heart enlarges over time and this condition is referred to as “alcoholic heart” or “beer heart.”

In the long term, the negative effect of alcohol on the heart affects fat and protein metabolism: high cholesterol levels and a reduced amount of protein in plasma can be noted. These changes lead to disruption of metabolic processes. An alcoholic's heart enlarges over time, its walls thicken, and muscle fibers atrophy. A condition in which the weight and size of the heart increases due to the degeneration of cardiomyocytes is referred to as “alcoholic heart” or “beer heart.”

Alcohol and a healthy heart are incompatible concepts. Heart pain can appear the next day after drinking alcohol, but more often occurs after leaving a long binge. Along with this, shortness of breath, swelling, and rapid pulse are observed - the heart beats at a frequency of 100-120 beats per minute. Tachycardia may be accompanied by tremors radiating to the neck and throat. These symptoms are characteristic of heart failure caused by drinking alcohol the day before. The harmful effect of alcohol on the heart increases if you combine it with smoking - the cardiotoxic effect of nicotine is added.

The negative effect of alcohol on the cardiovascular system is manifested by the development of serious pathologies:

atherosclerosis;
coronary insufficiency;
coronary heart disease;
cardiomyopathy.

Symptoms for diseases of the cardiovascular system

The effects of ethanol and nicotine on the heart and blood vessels can cause serious illnesses that must be treated promptly. If this is not done, then serious consequences with a fatal outcome are possible. Against the background of chronic intoxication, the heart of a drinker degenerates, its functionality weakens, and in some cases, a violation of nerve conduction between the atria and ventricles can be observed.

Frequent cardiovascular diseases in alcohol dependence:

With alcohol dependence, cardiovascular diseases occur, accompanied by arrhythmia - a violation of the rhythm of heart contractions.

Atherosclerosis. The combined influence of ethanol and nicotine, as well as poor nutrition, causes the deposition of cholesterol on the walls of blood vessels. Gradual narrowing of blood vessels impedes blood supply to organs. Bleeding disorders lead to thrombosis and ischemic organ damage.
Arrhythmia is a disturbance in the rhythm of heart contractions. At the initial stage, you can observe an excited state, strong heartbeat, pain in the heart area, radiating to the arm, throat, neck, and high blood pressure. Along with this, shortness of breath, swelling, and redness of the face appear. When quitting binge drinking due to heart rhythm disturbances, there is a high risk of death from arrhythmia.
Coronary heart disease is a disorder of the blood supply to the myocardium. The main symptom of the disease is angina attacks, manifested by chest pain. The pain can radiate to the neck, throat, shoulder, arm, back. Other symptoms of the disease: shortness of breath, dizziness, rapid heartbeat, arrhythmic pulse, increased sweating, weakness. Myocardial infarction is a consequence of ischemic necrosis of the area of the myocardium that is insufficiently supplied with blood.
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy – “alcoholic heart” or “beer heart”. In some cases, the disease develops asymptomatically, but more often it manifests itself as cardiac dysfunction. The main signs of the disease: compression or pain in the chest, radiating to the throat, arm or shoulder, dizziness, swelling, fainting, irregular pulse. Arrhythmia may occur.
Heart failure. Often accompanied by difficulty breathing, which can be observed during physical activity or while lying down. Other signs of pathology: cough, rapid weight gain, swelling, weakness, rapid or irregular heartbeat.

What to do if you have heart pain after drinking alcohol

If, after drinking alcohol, the heart rate is over 90 beats per minute, this is tachycardia. If after drinking the heart beats strongly, but the pulse is below 90 beats, the condition is safe. Palpitations occur quite often immediately after drinking alcoholic beverages. If you combine alcohol and cigarettes, the heart begins to work in extreme mode. If there are no other signs of heart problems, you do not need to take medications. When observed:

tachycardia;
dizziness;
high blood pressure;
uneven pulse;
chest pain radiating to the back, throat, arm, shoulder

- You need to call a doctor. This is an extremely dangerous condition, so this must be done as quickly as possible.

Coming out of a binge is always accompanied by a rapid heartbeat. This is a consequence of the cardiotoxic effects of aldehydes, autonomic imbalance, and lack of magnesium and potassium.
For mild tachycardia, you can take a sedative based on:

valerian;
motherwort;
mint.

When coming out of a drinking binge, you should not drink:

Phenazepam;
Valocordin;
Valoserdin;
Corvalol.

These medications are incompatible with alcohol and may worsen the condition. In severe situations, a person must be treated in a hospital. This must be done on time to avoid sad consequences.

High blood pressure and tachycardia often occur when coming out of a long binge. With severe tachycardia, accompanied by tremors that radiate to the throat, medical attention is required. Infusion detoxification, diuretics, and beta blockers are used. This can only be done under the supervision of a doctor in a hospital.