Knee, Hip Replacement Surgeries Linked to Heart Risks

By Steven Reinberg
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — People who have total hip or knee replacement surgery face a greater risk for a heart attack during the first month following the procedure, a new study finds.

The chances of a heart attack were more than eight times greater in the first 30 days after total knee replacement surgery compared to people who didn’t have the procedure. The risk of a heart attack was four times greater during the month following total hip replacement surgery, the study revealed.

But the researchers noted that the findings shouldn’t deter people from having these surgeries.

“Overall, neither knee or hip replacement increases the risk of heart attack over the entire follow-up period in our study, even though the risk was substantially increased shortly after surgery,” he said. “This risk should not keep a patient from having either surgery.”

Indeed, the odds of a heart attack dissipated over time in these patients, the study found. However, the odds of blood clots in veins and lungs increased in the month following surgery and lasted for years after knee or hip replacement was performed, the researchers said.

“Contrary to recently published findings, our study indicates that total joint replacement procedures do not provide an overall protective effect on the risk of heart attack,” said lead researcher Yuqing Zhang, a professor of medicine and epidemiology at Boston University School of Medicine.

These findings suggest that the risk for heart attack immediately after surgery may have been underestimated, he said.

Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles, said, “It is well documented that during and early after a variety of surgical procedures that the risk of a heart attack is elevated.”

An earlier study of patients with osteoarthritis comparing those who did or did not undergo knee or hip replacement suggested that there was lower risk for heart attacks among those having surgery, according to background information in the study. However, heart attacks in the month after surgery were excluded from that study, skewing the results, Fonarow said.

“The reasons for increased risk of heart attack for these and other types of surgery are many, and to date approaches such as use of heart medications, such as aspirin, beta blockers and alpha blockers, have generally not been successful in lowering the risk,” he said.

Zhang said that measures may need to be taken to reduce the risk of a heart attack after surgery.

The findings were published Aug. 31 in the journal Arthritis & Rheumatology.

For the study, Zhang and colleagues collected data on nearly 14,000 people over the age of 50 with osteoarthritis who had a total knee replacement. They compared these patients with a similar number of people who didn’t have the procedure. They also collected data on more than 6,000 people over the age of 50 with osteoarthritis who had a total hip replacement and compared them with a similar number of people who didn’t have one.

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis; it affects 27 million Americans over 25, according to the U.S. National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS). The disorder causes joint pain and stiffness.

In some cases, hip or knee replacement may be a good option for patients with osteoarthritis to relieve pain and stiffness and restore mobility, NIAMS said. As many as 1.8 million hip or knee replacements are performed each year worldwide, background information from the study noted.

Fonarow said that following a heart-healthy lifestyle is the best way to reduce the risk of a heart attack during and after an operation.

“Doctors and patients can take steps to substantially lower the risk of heart attacks by maintaining a healthy blood pressure, cholesterol level, body weight, and by exercising and not smoking,” Fonarow said. “In addition, statins are one of the most effective therapies to minimize risk.”

More information

For more information on joint replacement, visit the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons.

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Doctors Rarely Discuss Religion With Critically Ill, Study Says

By Emily Willingham
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Whatever your religious beliefs, they’re unlikely to get addressed in the intensive care unit, a new study finds.

Religion or spirituality is important to many people nearing the end of life, but intensive care clinicians rarely talk to patients or their families about those beliefs, the study authors said.

“We found that religious or spiritual considerations were discussed in only 16 percent of family meetings in ICUs and when such concerns arose,” said study author Dr. Douglas White, an associate professor of critical care medicine at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. “Health care professionals only rarely asked questions to better understand the patient or family’s religious or spiritual ideas.”

That omission leaves a need unfulfilled, experts said.

“The findings regarding the silence surrounding religion and/or spirituality in ICU conversations are loud and clear,” Dr. Tracy Balboni, associate professor at Harvard Medical School, and her co-authors wrote in an editorial accompanying the study. “The question remains whether we who care for dying persons and their families will learn how to be present and listen.”

The study and editorial were published Aug. 31 in JAMA Internal Medicine.

The study authors found that almost 78 percent of people acting on behalf of patients in intensive care said that religion or spirituality was fairly or very important to them.

Yet their beliefs came up in only 40 out of nearly 250 family conferences with medical professionals. In 26 of those 40 cases, the patient’s family member brought up the subject first.

White’s team established their findings by recording these meetings, with permission from everyone involved, and analyzing the conversations.

The study authors found that medical staff tended to respond to expressions of spiritual need in one of four ways. Most often, the response focused on a medical care plan or treatment goal, as in the case of one family member who said she was praying that the patient wouldn’t have to have a tube inserted to breathe.

The physician’s response was highly clinical and did not address the prayer reference: “The long-term question is how to prevent the pancreatitis from happening again. It’s not a question, but it’s gonna be a question pretty soon, I think.”

In 13 of those 40 meetings where spirituality came up, the clinician responded with empathy. One doctor said, “Hang in there. I know it’s hard. I know,” to a loved one who observed “prayer’s not gonna work.”

But in one-quarter of meetings where beliefs were mentioned, the doctor simply responded with a curt “OK” or “Mhmm.”

A handful of physicians, in four of 40 meetings, still didn’t respond directly to the religious need but promised high-quality health care. For instance, one doctor replied, “We’ll do the best with what we’ve got” to the patient surrogate who said, “I know my God’s a big God. And I know He can even guide your guys’ hands to do the right thing.”

White said clinicians might avoid directly addressing these belief expressions for different reasons.

“It may be that clinicians, on average, are less religious than their patients,” he said. “It may be that clinicians do not know how to navigate these conversations or that they were taught to avoid discussion of such topics in favor of prioritizing discussion of medical facts.”

Patients and their family members can take these matters into their own hands, as many did in the study, by bringing up beliefs that are important to them.

“If religious or spiritual considerations are important to patients or their families, it may be important for families to inform clinicians of this and to request the involvement of spiritual care providers,” White said.

And when patients and their loved ones bring up belief needs, the clinicians should pay attention, said White.

“Physicians should take an interest in respectfully understanding more about the patients’ beliefs, such as by asking questions and listening carefully,” he said.

“For example,” White added, “a physician might say, ‘You mentioned you are trusting God. Tell me more about that.’ Then stop and listen.”

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute talks about other end-of-life concerns.

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Naps May Do a Heart Good

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Taking a midday nap might be beneficial for your heart, new research suggests.

The investigators looked at how an hour-long siesta at noon affected blood pressure among nearly 400 middle-aged people with high blood pressure.

The result: those who napped saw their systolic blood pressure reading (the number on top of the standard blood pressure ratio) drop an average of 5 percent over the course of the day, compared with patients who didn’t rest.

More specifically, the team found that nappers saw their blood pressure readings fall by 4 percent during the day and by 6 percent while sleeping at night.

“Although the mean BP [blood pressure] decrease seems low, it has to be mentioned that reductions as small as 2 mmHg in systolic blood pressure can reduce the risk of cardiovascular events by up to 10 percent,” study author Dr. Manolis Kallistrato, a cardiologist at Asklepielon Voula General Hospital in Athens, said in a European Society of Cardiology news release.

Kallistrato and his colleagues presented their findings Saturday at a meeting of the European Society of Cardiology in London. Research presented at medical meetings is considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal.

In all, the study involved about 200 men and 186 women, with an average age of just over 61.

The finding appeared to hold up even after accounting for a variety of factors that can affect blood pressure, including smoking history, salt, alcohol and coffee intake, and activity routines, the researchers said.

Napping was also linked to a reduction in the size of the left atrium section of the heart, as well as a more than 10 percent drop in so-called “pulse wave velocity” levels. Pulse wave velocity measures the stiffness of arteries.

“These findings suggest that midday sleepers have less damage from high blood pressure in their arteries and heart,” Kallistrato said.

The research can only point to an association, however, and it does not prove that naps will curb heart disease.

According to Kallistrato, “our study shows that not only is midday sleep associated with lower blood pressure, but longer sleeps are even more beneficial… We also found that hypertensive patients who slept at noon were under fewer antihypertensive medications compared to those who didn’t sleep midday.”

More information

There’s more on high blood pressure at the American Heart Association.

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Proposed NYC Law May Trim 54 Calories From Kids’ Fast Food Meals

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — A New York City bill to improve the nutrition of children’s fast food meals could reduce the average calories and improve the nutrition of these meals, a new study claims.

The bill proposed by New York City Council member Benjamin Kallos would require fast food meals marketed to children using toys or other promotional items to include a serving of fruit, vegetables or whole grains.

The meals would have a maximum of 500 calories. They would also have to contain less than: 35 percent of calories from fat; 10 percent of calories from saturated fat; 10 percent of calories from added sugars, and 600 milligrams of salt.

To determine the potential impact of the proposal — similar to one recently enacted in California — researchers reviewed more than 400 receipts for meals that adults bought for children at McDonald’s, Burger King and Wendy’s locations in New York City and New Jersey in 2013 and 2014.

On average, those meals had 600 calories, with 36 percent coming from fat. One-third of the orders were for children’s meals and 98 percent of the children’s meals didn’t meet the nutritional standards in the proposed legislation.

If children’s meals met those standards and the same percentage of those meals were ordered, calorie consumption would fall 9 percent (54 calories per meal), and there would be a 10 percent drop in sodium and a 10 percent decrease in percentage of calories from fat, the study found.

The study was published online Aug. 31 in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

“While 54 calories at a given meal is a small reduction, small changes that affect a wide number of people can make a large impact,” said study author Brian Elbel, an associate professor of population health at the NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.

“Passing the bill could be a step in the right direction, though no single policy can singlehandedly eliminate childhood obesity,” he said in a center news release.

More information

The American Academy of Pediatrics has more about child nutrition.

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Two Measures of Heart Health May Hint at Seniors’ Independence

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Seniors with a higher resting heart rate and lower heart rate variability are less able to care for themselves, a new study finds.

Researchers examined data on more than 5,800 people, aged 70 to 82, who had risk factors for heart disease.

The investigators compared resting heart rate and heart rate variability — the beat-to-beat variation in heart rate — with the ability to perform basic daily activities such as grooming, walking and using the toilet. They also looked at more complicated tasks such as doing housework, shopping and taking medicines as prescribed.

Over an average follow-up of three years, seniors with the highest resting heart rate had a nearly 80 percent increased risk of decline in their ability to do basic daily activities, and a 35 percent increased risk of decline in their ability to do more complicated daily tasks.

Those with the lowest heart rate variability had a 25 percent increased risk of decline in both basic and more complicated daily tasks, according to the study. The results were published Aug. 31 in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.

“Higher resting heart rate and lower heart rate variability were associated with worse functional performance at baseline and with higher risk of future functional decline in older adults at high cardiovascular risk,” wrote Dr. Behnam Sabayan of the department of gerontology and geriatrics at Leiden University Medical Center in the Netherlands, and colleagues.

“Because functional disability develops gradually, it is important to identify it early and take steps to delay decline, such as exercise, medication and other interventions,” the researchers noted in a journal news release. “This is especially important with an aging population, which could mean rising numbers of people who have problems with daily functioning.”

More information

The U.S. National Institute on Aging offers tips on healthy aging.

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A Fat-Melting 7-Move Workout to Get Maria Menounos’ VMA Look

Credit: Getty Images

With plenty of celebrities on-hand for the MTV Video Music Awards last night—Taylor Swift’s girl squad was out in full force—there was a ton of fitspiration for your next gym sesh. And while we may have tuned in to see host Miley Cyrus’s antics, Maria Menounos’s sexy red carpet body was definitely one of the evening’s highlights.

Health’s April cover girl rocked a formfitting black and navy dress and topknot that showed off her sleek physique, which she attributes to clean living and on-the-go workouts.

Looking to replicate her look? Watch the video below for a fast, fat-blasting fitness routine courtesy of the E! News anchor. Do the circuit two to three times for an awesome sweat session that clocks in under 20 minutes.

RELATED: 9 Fitness Trainers to Follow on Instagram

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3 Ace Tennis Outfits You’ll Love for the U.S. Open

Prints Charming

1. Under Armour UA Fly Fast Visor, $20; amazon.com.

2. New Balance Tournament Racerback, $60; newbalance.com.

3. Lija Match Skort, $60; amazon.com.

4. Monreal London Tampa Sports Bag, $910; saksfifthavenue.com.

5. Adidas Roland Garros Collection by Y-3 Adizero Sneaker, $125; adidas.com.

Court Cutie

1. Lucas Hugh Nordica Balcony Bra, $195; lucashugh.com.

2. Eleven by Venus Love Capri, $42; elevenbyvenus.com.

3. Cortiglia Sonoma Bag, $475; amazon.com.

4. Babolat Propulse BPM All Court, $96; amazon.com.

5. Asics BZ 100 Racquet, $189; asics.com.

6. Wilson “Hope” Tennis Balls, $12; amazon.com.

Retro Cool

1. Monreal London Tennis Grips, $10; masontennis.com.

2. Lululemon Sweat Cuff, $14; lululemon.com.

3. Wilson Women’s Team Dress II, $43; tennis-warehouse.com.

4. Lacoste Headband, $12; lacoste.com.

5. Monreal London Anyone for Tennis Racket Bag, $650; monreallondon.com.

6. Asics Gel-Solution Slam 2 Sneaker, $72; asics.com.

Style Slam

1. Athleta Perforated Run Cap, $20; athleta.com.

2. NikeCourt Bomber Jacket, $130; nike.com.

3. Athleta Blossom Print Chi Tank, $26; athleta.com.

4. Lucas Hugh Technical Knit Shorts, $55; lucashugh.com.

5. Adidas by Stella McCartney Tennis Bag, $200; stellamccartney.com.

6. Adidas by Stella McCartney Barricade Sneaker, $125; adidas.com.

7. US Open Tennis Balls, $7; amazon.com.

All Photos: Lisa Shin

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20 Best Swimsuits for Every Body Type

9 Best Fitness Trackers

5 Things You’ll Love From Carrie Underwood’s New Line of Workout Clothes

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Some Sobering Stats on Kids and Drinking

By Dennis Thompson
HealthDay Reporter

MONDAY, Aug. 31, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Alcohol poses a far greater threat to children than many parents care to admit, a new report warns.

Many kids start drinking at a young age, and their size and inexperience with alcohol renders them more apt to be binge drinkers, said report author Dr. Lorena Siqueira, director of adolescent medicine at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital in Miami.

Such hard drinking can prove fatal. For example, one-third of all fatal auto crashes involving alcohol happen among 15- to 20-year-olds, the report found.

“The top three causes of mortality in teenagers are motor vehicle accidents, homicides and suicides, and alcohol is strongly associated with each of these,” Siqueira said.

Between 36 percent and 50 percent of high school students drink alcohol, and 28 percent to 60 percent report binge drinking, the report said.

But the true picture is even darker, Siqueira suggested. Those numbers are based on the adult definition of binge drinking — five or more drinks in a two-hour period for men, or four or more drinks for women.

Because teens typically weigh less than adults, they are likely to reach an unsafe blood alcohol concentration faster, Siqueira said.

Alcohol isn’t benign, one expert agreed.

“We spend a lot of time worrying about all manner of substance abuse, and we should, but this report brings home that the most commonly abused and dangerous drug for children is alcohol,” said Dr. Bennett Leventhal, a professor of child and adolescent psychiatry at the University of California, San Francisco.

In 2014, half of twelfth graders and one in nine eighth graders reported having been drunk at least once in their life, the report found.

The way kids drink alcohol makes them more apt to drink too much, Siqueira noted.

“When they drink, they often tend to drink straight from a bottle and they pass it around,” she said.

The report lists an array of health problems that stem from underage drinking:

• Half of all head injuries in teens are associated with drinking.
• Binge drinking has been associated with earlier sexual activity, teenage pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases.
• Kids who start drinking before age 15 are four times more likely to become alcoholic, compared with people who start drinking after 20.
• Early drinking also can alter brain development, affecting attention, among other things.

Children start to think positively about alcohol as early as between the ages of 9 and 13, the report found.

These kids are influenced by what they see in the world around them, Leventhal said. They see enticing ads for alcoholic beverages, watch role models use alcohol, and even see the adults around them drinking.

Parents need to be prepared to talk frankly with their kids about alcohol at a very early age, like elementary school, said Marcia Lee Taylor, president and CEO of the Partnership for Drug-Free Kids.

“As parents we all need to own it, that if we aren’t the ones talking to our children and informing their views, then someone else is going to do it,” Taylor said.

In these conversations, parents should talk about how to drink responsibly, and how adult drinking is different from the drinking in which their young friends are engaged, Siqueira said.

For example, adults tend to eat while they drink to reduce the effects of alcohol, she said. They don’t drink very fast or straight from the bottle.

Taylor said parents also need to model good drinking behavior. They shouldn’t describe alcohol as something they need to relieve stress, and they should avoid drinking to excess in front of their children.

The report urges pediatricians to ask kids about their exposure to alcohol. “If your physician wishes to talk to your kid alone, that’s recommended as a good approach to dealing with a teenager,” she said.

Above all, parents should not assume that drinking is just something that happens as a child grows older, and that they have no way to slow or stop it, Taylor said.

The new report noted that 80 percent of teenagers say their parents are the biggest influence on their decision whether to drink, Taylor said.

More information

For more on underage drinking, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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Start Your Hike on the Right Foot With Proper Footwear

SUNDAY, Aug. 30, 2015 (HealthDay News) — More than 38 million people go hiking each year in the United States, but many do so without proper footwear and other gear that can reduce their risk of foot and ankle injuries, an expert says.

“We’ve all seen hikers accomplishing great feats, such as completing the Pacific Crest or Appalachian Trails, and these stories inspire us to undertake more challenging or longer hikes,” Dr. Gregory Catalano, a Massachusetts-based foot and ankle surgeon, said in an American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons news release.

“As the number of people hiking increases and they take on more challenging terrain, we are seeing an increase in injuries of all levels of hikers, from Achilles tendon and heel pain to more traumatic injuries, including sprains and fractures of the foot and ankle, as well as stress fractures of the leg, foot and ankle,” he added.

Hikers are at risk for injuries ranging from blisters and bruises to sprains and fractures, but careful preparation can reduce the chances of suffering an injury, he suggested.

Wear sturdy footwear designed for the conditions of the trail you’ll be walking. Be sure your footwear is properly fitted and broken-in before you hit the trail in order to reduce the risk of blisters, pain in the ankles and feet, and toenail damage, Catalano said.

It’s also important to wear socks that cushion the feet, wick away moisture and protect from the cold.

Know your hiking route and your options for getting medical help, he added. Carry supplies, such as bandages and wraps, that you can use to stabilize and protect injured feet and ankles.

Some hikers underestimate the seriousness of an injury. For example, they first try to ease pain by changing the way they walk, altering their pace, or by switching footwear. But in some cases, such actions can cause further injury, Catalano warned.

“It is critical hikers know the signs and continually monitor for complex injuries, as not seeking treatment may result in additional damage that can lead to longer, more involved treatments and recovery periods,” Catalano said.

More information

The American Academy of Family Physicians has more about preventing and treating ankle sprains.

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Impulsive, Agitated Behaviors May Be Warning Signs for Suicide

SATURDAY, Aug. 29, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Risky behaviors such as reckless driving or sudden promiscuity, or nervous behaviors such as agitation, hand-wringing or pacing, can be signs that suicide risk may be high in depressed people, researchers report.

Other warning signs may include doing things on impulse with little thought about the consequences. Depressed people with any of these symptoms are at least 50 percent more likely to attempt suicide, the new study found.

“Assessing these symptoms in every depressed patient we see is extremely important, and has immense therapeutical implications,” study lead author Dr. Dina Popovic, of the Hospital Clinic de Barcelona, in Spain, said in a news release from the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP).

The findings were scheduled for presentation Saturday at the ECNP’s annual meeting in Amsterdam.

One expert in the United States concurred with the findings.

“It has long been known that those patients with depression who also experience anxiety and/or agitation are more likely to attempt or complete suicide,” said Dr. Donald Malone, chair of psychiatry and psychology at the Cleveland Clinic. “These symptoms can also be a clue that the underlying diagnosis is bipolar depression (manic depressive disorder),” he added.

In the study, Popovic’s team looked at more than 2,800 people with depression, including nearly 630 who had attempted suicide. The researchers conducted in-depth interviews with each patient, and especially looked for differences in behaviors between depressed people who had attempted suicide and those who had not. Certain patterns of behavior began to emerge, the study authors said.

“Most of these symptoms will not be spontaneously referred by the patient, [so] the clinician needs to inquire directly,” Popovic said.

She and her colleagues also found that “depressive mixed states” often precede suicide attempts.

“A depressive mixed state is where a patient is depressed, but also has symptoms of ‘excitation,’ or mania,” Popovic explained. “We found this significantly more in patients who had previously attempted suicide, than those who had not. In fact, 40 percent of all the depressed patients who attempted suicide had a ‘mixed episode’ rather than just depression. All the patients who suffer from mixed depression are at much higher risk of suicide.”

The researchers reported that the standard criteria for diagnosing depression spotted only 12 percent of patients with mixed depression. In contrast, using the new criteria identified 40 percent of these patients, Popovic’s team said.

“This means that the standard methods are missing a lot of patients at risk of suicide,” she said.

Malone agreed that a “mixed state” can heighten odds for suicide.

“This study appropriately cautions caregivers to pay particular attention to suicide risk when treating patients with mixed states,” he said.

“Bipolar patients are at higher risk of suicide in general when compared with non-bipolar depression, even when not in a mixed state,” Malone said. Drug treatments for bipolar depression “also can differ significantly from those of unipolar depression,” he added. “In fact, antidepressants can worsen the situation with bipolar patients.”

According to Malone, all of this means that “accurate diagnosis is essential to deciding on effective treatment.”

Dr. Patrice Reives-Bright directs the division of child and adolescent services at South Oaks Hospital in Amityville, N.Y. She said that the “more commonly known risk factors for suicide include hopelessness, history of previous attempts and recent loss or change in one’s life.”

However, the impulsive and risky behaviors outlined in the new study can “also increase the likelihood of someone who is depressed to act on thoughts to end his or her life,” Reives-Bright said.

She agreed with Malone that “identifying these symptoms of a mixed state is important when assessing mood symptoms and selecting treatment options for the patient.”

Findings presented at medical meetings are typically considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed journal. However, according to Popovic, one strength of the new study is that “it’s not a clinical trial, with ideal patients — it’s a big study, from the real world.”

More than 800,000 people worldwide die by suicide every year, and about 20 times that number attempt suicide, according to the World Health Organization. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death in young people.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on suicide prevention.

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Hate Hangovers? Then Don’t Drink Too Much

By Alan Mozes
HealthDay Reporter

FRIDAY, Aug. 28, 2015 (HealthDay News) — Since people first started drinking alcohol, the search has been on for a way to go heavy on the pour but light on the hangover.

Unfortunately, two new drinking surveys suggest that search is probably futile.

One poll, conducted in Canada, concluded that if you drink to excess, you’re going to have a hangover — no ifs, ands, or buts.

A second poll, conducted in the Netherlands, suggested that chasing your liquid poison with food or water ultimately does little to improve the hangover experience.

“There is a big difference between severity of hangovers and the symptoms people experience during hangover,” acknowledged Joris Verster, a member of both study teams. Verster is an assistant professor of pharmaceutical sciences, pharmacology, and psychopharmacology at Utrecht University in the Netherlands.

“For example, some people have headaches, others are nauseous, others are just tired. Given this, there is no clear definition of a hangover,” he said.

But one thing is clear, Verster said, “the more you drink, the more likely you are to get a hangover.”

Verster and his colleagues are scheduled to present their findings Saturday at a meeting of the European College of Neuropsychopharmacology (ECNP) in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Findings presented at meetings are generally considered preliminary until they’ve been published in a peer-reviewed journal.

The survey team pointed out that past research has suggested that between one-quarter to one-third of drinkers routinely attest to being immune from hangovers.

But the Canadian survey found little evidence to support this notion.

Nearly 800 Canadian students were asked to subjectively discuss their single heaviest drinking experience during the previous month. Specifically, the students were asked to note the amount of alcohol consumed and total time spent drinking. All were also asked to indicate if they’d had a hangover, and, if so, to describe its severity.

While just over 30 percent said they didn’t have a hangover, only about 10 percent of those individuals actually had an estimated blood-alcohol concentration (BAC) that exceeded 0.08 percent, the study said. A BAC of 0.08 percent is the point at which American drivers are considered legally impaired, according to the U.S. Governors Highway Safety Association.

What’s more, nearly 80 percent of the supposedly “hangover-free” group registered an estimated BAC below 0.10 percent, while just 2 percent had a BAC of 0.20 percent or more, the study found.

Among the top-drinking group, almost nobody claimed to be hangover-free. And the investigators concluded that it was highly unlikely that any heavy drinker had truly managed to elude the consequences that come with pounding back one too many.

The second survey focused on 825 Dutch students who offered details concerning their latest bout of big drinking and the hangover that followed.

Drink totals were tallied, and investigators noted whether food and/or water was also consumed either right after drinking (before bedtime) or the following morning once a hangover was already underway.

While nearly 55 percent said they had some food before bed, there was no clinical difference seen in the way such drinkers rated the severity of their subsequent hangover when compared with those who didn’t eat immediately after drinking.

Similarly, the nearly 45 percent who said they downed a big breakfast the next day (and the 34 percent who consumed a lot of fatty foods) also saw little reduction in their hangover severity, the survey revealed.

Drinking water while consuming alcohol, or the following morning, also provided merely “modest” hangover relief, the study team found. And they concluded that food and water had no “relevant effect” on hangovers.

Nevertheless, Michael Bloomfield, a clinical lecturer in psychiatry at University College London and the Medical Research Council Clinical Sciences Center in London, England, said more research is needed.

“I don’t think this is the final nail in the coffin with respect to studying hangovers,” he said. “Whilst we know that alcohol affects different chemicals in the body to make us feel lousy, we still aren’t entirely clear on exactly why it is we can feel so dreadful with a hangover,” Bloomfield added.

“At the moment, the best advice to avoid a hangover would be to drink less alcohol,” he suggested. “Everyone’s body deals with alcohol slightly differently so it would be very difficult to come up with a one-size-fits-all ‘hangover limit’ for drinking.”

Bloomfield also pointed out that if people can drink a lot without getting a hangover, it may be a sign that they are tolerant to the effects of alcohol. And, that could be a sign that they’re at risk of alcohol addiction. He said that if anyone is concerned about their alcohol use, they should speak with their family doctor or a psychiatrist.

More information

There’s more on heavy drinking at the U.S. National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism.

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