ASSOCIATION BETWEEN ENERGY DRINK CONSUMPTION AND CARDIAC RHYTHM DISTURBANCES IN YOUNG ADULTS

Introduction: Energy drink consumption among adolescents and young adults has increased substantially in recent years, driven by aggressive marketing and their perceived ability to enhance alertness, physical performance, and concentration (Costantino et al., 2023). These beverages combine caffeine with taurine, sugars, B-group vitamins, and other stimulant compounds that, at the doses commonly consumed, can produce electrophysiological changes capable of predisposing susceptible young individuals to cardiac rhythm disturbances (Ciliberti et al., 2024).
Objective: To analyze, through a systematic review of the available scientific evidence, the association between energy drink consumption and cardiac rhythm disturbances in young adults, describing the underlying electrophysiological mechanisms, the clinical spectrum of reported arrhythmic events, and the implications for clinical practice and public health.
Methodology: A documentary, descriptive, and systematic bibliographic review with a qualitative approach was conducted. Searches were performed in PubMed/MEDLINE using English search terms combined with Boolean operators. Original scientific articles, case reports, randomized clinical trials, and narrative reviews addressing the cardiovascular and electrophysiological effects of energy drinks were included.
Results: The reviewed evidence shows that acute high-volume energy drink consumption produces measurable prolongation of the heart rate corrected QT interval (QTc), with average maximal increases of 18 20 milliseconds in healthy volunteers, alongside modest increases in systolic blood pressure of approximately 5 mmHg (Shah et al., 2019). A narrative review of published case reports identified 32 cases of arrhythmic or ischemic events temporally associated with energy drink consumption, 20 of which involved supraventricular or ventricular arrhythmias, with 3 fatal outcomes (Fletcher et al., 2019). Individuals with underlying genetic channelopathies, particularly Long QT Syndrome, appear to represent a population of particular vulnerability, with documented cases of torsade de pointes and cardiac arrest following energy drink consumption (Sherazi & Kadish, 2019).
Conclusions: Energy drink consumption produces measurable electrophysiological effects chiefly QTc prolongation and sympathetic activation that, while generally modest and transient in healthy individuals, can precipitate serious arrhythmic events in susceptible young adults, particularly those with underlying or undiagnosed cardiac channelopathies. Public education, clearer product labelling, and clinical vigilance regarding energy drink use in young patie nts presenting with palpitations or unexplained arrhythmic events are warranted.