Ventricular Arrhythmias Associated with the Ingestion of Alcohol

For 1 year a 43-year-old man had palpitations while drinking alcoholic beverages, and in the month before hospital admission he had four grand mal seizures and two syncopal episodes. After a syncopal episode that occurred while drinking, ventricular premature beats were noted on an electrocardiogram. Because the relationship between alcohol and the ventricular premature contractions was unclear, he was admitted and given alcohol to document the onset of these contractions while drinking. Ventricular premature contractions occurred 30 minutes after consuming 7 ounces of vodka. No metabolic changes were noted that might have accounted for the arrhythmia. Administration of vodka while the patient was taking quinidine did not lead to ventricular premature contractions.