The woman, who lives in Monaco, a small country near
southern France, was brought to a hospital after she fainted. A blood
test showed she had severely low potassium levels.
And a test of her heart's electrical activity revealed she had a
condition called long QT syndrome, which can cause erratic heart beats.
The woman did not have a family history of heart
or hormone problems. But she told her doctors that, since the age of
15, she had not drunk any water — soda (specifically cola) was the only
liquid she consumed. She drank about 2 liters (2 quarts) of cola daily,
she said.After abstaining from soda for just one week, the woman's potassium levels and heart electrical activity returned to normal.
Drinking too much cola may cause excess water to
enter the bowels, which in turn leads to diarrhea, and loss of
potassium, the researchers said. High amounts of caffeine
can also increase urine production and decrease potassium reabsorption,
the researchers said. Potassium plays a role in helping a person's
heartbeat, and low levels of potassium may cause heart rhythm problems.
After searching for other similar cases, the researchers found six
reports of excessive cola consumption that were thought to be related to
adverse medical problems, including heart rhythm problems."One of the take-home messages is that cardiologists need to be aware of the connection between cola consumption and potassium loss, and should ask patients found to have QT prolongation about beverage habits," said study researcher Dr. Naima Zarqane, of Princess Grace Hospital Centre in Monaco.
Future studies should examine whether those who drink cola excessively have lower potassium levels than people who don't drink cola, the researchers said.
Excessive soda consumption can also lead to weight gain, which is a risk factor for heart disease, the researchers said.
The case report was presented this week at the European Heart Rhythm Association meeting in Athens, Greece. It has not been published in a peer-reviewed journal.
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