Rapid pulse after alcohol consumption and/or high carb intake

[janieann]

I've known for a couple of years now that if I consume alcohol in any quantity at all, my heart rate will increase a few hours later to an uncomfortable level.  It doesn't happen while I'm consuming the alcohol, but maybe 3 hours later or so.  Normally, my heart rate is in the low 60s.  If I have three drinks, it's going to be in the 80s, four drinks the 90s, and if I'm stupid and really binge, it can go as high as 120 bpm.   It stays elevated for hours.   If I get to sleep before it starts, it will wake me up.  If I'm still awake when it starts, I'm up for hours.   I think this has

Since I'm paying much closer attention to what's happening with my body now, I've noticed that twice in the past month I've experienced this without alcohol being involved.   It happened again last night, and the only explanation I have for it is a very heavily carb-laden meal late in the evening.     A couple of weeks ago, and I can't believe I'm saying this, I think eating a very large pomegranate late in the evening caused it.    Same MO...heart rate upper 80s/lower 90s sustained for hours.

I've found post after post on message boards about this and know I'm not alone suffering from this, but I've yet to find a medical explanation for it other than our bodies may be releasing epinephrine or nor-epinephrine causing an adrenaline rush.    

Has the Cleveland Clinic done any investigation into this at all?   There are an awful lot of people with this problem from what I can tell.    Besides avoiding the triggers, is there anything that can be done to prevent it from happening?   Would lectin blockers do anything?     Are beta blockers helpful in treating it if you do over do it?

Any insight at all would be much appreciated, CC.  

Jane

[CCFHeartMD10]

It is well recognized that alcohol can cause an increase in heart rate, through various mechanisms including vasodilation leading to hypotension and reflex tachycardia, and its diuretic effect. There is also a specific condition which is found in about 30% of East Asians (Japan, China and Korea) called the alcohol flushing response which includes elevated heart rate as well as facial flushing after drinking alcohol. This is caused by an acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2) gene polymorphism. Although food ingestion does not cause heart rate elevations in experimental situations, it is always possible that it may in some people.
Avoiding alcohol and late night meals, as triggers for these symptoms, is the obvious answer. There is little role for medication given such avoidable triggers, however beta blockers might help. I am not aware of any reports of leptin antagonists on heart rate in humans, and from its physiology think it would be unlikely.

[janieann]

Thank you very much for the response.  

I know I'm free of the ALDH2 mutation on both copies of the gene as I've been tested by 23andme, but it certainly seems that there's something else in me causing the response I'm having.   I'd really like to understand the cause, but I guess in the end, it's of no consequence without a remedy.

Thanks again for taking the time to respond.   I won't bug my doctor about this, although I may plead again for a beta blocker for times when I've not been successful in resisting the triggers.

Jane