Feeling Bloated With Rapid Heart Beat After Drinking Alcohol. Reason?

Posted on Mon, 1 Apr 2013

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Tue, 2 Apr 2013 Answered on

Mon, 22 Apr 2013 Last reviewed on

Question : When I have a bad hangover I can feel my heart beating really badly and feel really bloated and constantly have try and make myself burp, what is this ?

Answered by Dr. Payman Hajiazim (5 hours later)

Hi there, thanks for asking. It is a good question and also good observation. Alcohol makes the upper sphincter of the stomach and its muscles relaxed, so it causes more bloating and also reflux. Some other things like coffee or spicy foods can aggravate this issue.
Heart beating could be related to dehydration following drinking alcohol. Alcohol consumes water molecules to be metabolized and also causes more going to the washroom, so body will find shortage of water and it causes the heart to beat faster.
I wish you a good health.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar