Our BEAT-AFib Study investigators not only lead this study, but they are also continually publishing new findings from their other projects and collaborative efforts with colleagues across the globe. Below are three recently published papers that shed light on some of the possible triggers atrial fibrillation and how maintaining a healthy blood pressure may help reduce the risk of developing arrhythmias.
Cold Drink Heart
Modifiable lifestyle triggers of atrial fibrillation (AFib) are being studied to improve patient health and discover ways to prevent episodes of AFib. One of our investigators, Dr. Gregory Marcus, Professor of Medicine and Associate Chief of Cardiology for Research at UCSF, was part of a study investigating Cold Drink Heart (CDH), an event where cold drinks or foods (like iced drinks or frozen treats) may trigger AFib.
The study enrolled patients who came to one of sixteen Kaiser Permanente emergency departments across Northern California for AFib or patients who reached out directly to the study team regarding their experiences with CDH. The study team used patient surveys and chart reviews to compare participants with AFib only triggered by CDH to participants with both AFib triggered by CDH and non-CDH triggers (like drinking alcoholic beverages).
Results showed that half of the participants had CDH only, without non-CDH triggers, and the other half experienced both types of triggers. Among the participants who reported having only CDH triggers, avoidance of cold drinks and foods helped prevent or greatly reduce the amount of AF episodes. While knowledge about CDH is still being developed, this study found that avoidance strategies for those with CDH only AFib could be beneficial. Read more about it here.
References:
DiLena, D. D., Zhang, J. Y., Rauchwerger, A. S., Reed, M. E., Marcus, G. M., Warton, E. M., & Vinson, D. R. (2025). Characterizing Patients With Cold Drink‐Triggered Atrial Fibrillation. Journal of Cardiovascular Electrophysiology, 36(8), 1895–1902. https://doi.org/10.1111/jce.16753
The DECAF Randomized Clinical Trial
In a newly published paper, our investigators, Drs. Jeffrey Olgin, Edward Gerstenfeld, and Gregory Marcus, detail the effects of caffeinated coffee consumption in 200 patients with persistent AFib or atrial flutter undergoing cardioversion who regularly drank coffee prior to joining the study. Following a successful cardioversion for persistent AFib, patients in the DECAF study were randomized into 2 groups for a 6 month period.
The first group was assigned to regular caffeinated coffee consumption and were encouraged to drink at least 1 cup of caffeinated coffee a day. The second group was encouraged to completely abstain from coffee, decaffeinated coffee, and other products containing caffeine.
At the start of the study, both groups drank around 7 cups of coffee per week. During the study, coffee intake for the coffee consumption group did not change while patients in the coffee abstinence group stopped drinking coffee. At 6 months follow up, AFib or atrial flutter recurrence was at 47% in the coffee consumption group while the coffee abstinence group had a 64% recurrence. Find out here, how a coffee a day could be just what the doctor ordered.
References:
Wong, C. X., Cheung, C. C., Montenegro, G., Oo, H. H., Peña, I. J., Tang, J. J., Tu, S. J., Wall, G., Dewland, T. A., Moss, J. D., Gerstenfeld, E. P., Tseng, Z. H., Hsia, H. H., Lee, R. J., Olgin, J. E., Vedantham, V., Scheinman, M. M., Lee, C., Sanders, P., & Marcus, G. M. (2025). Caffeinated Coffee Consumption or Abstinence to Reduce Atrial Fibrillation. JAMA. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2025.21056
A SPRINT to Uncover More about Atrial and Ventricular Ectopy
Dr. Gregory Marcus, presented an analysis of how blood pressure (BP) control relates to atrial and ventricular ectopy in the SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention) study at the 2025 Heart Rhythm Society Conference (HRS) in San Diego.
Atrial and Ventricular ectopy refer to electric signals in the heart that start outside of the heart’s natural pacemakers. Atrial ectopy occurs in the top chambers of the heart, the atria, and will often be referred to as premature atrial contractions (PACs). Ventricular ectopy occurs in the lower chambers of the heart, the ventricles, and will often be called premature ventricular contractions (PVCs).
The SPRINT study randomly assigned approximately 4000 participants to intensive blood pressure control (systolic BP target of <120 mmHg) and around 3900 participants to standard treatment (systolic BP target of <140 mmHg). SPRINT data showed intensive blood pressure control reduced cardiovascular events like heart attack, heart failure, and stroke, as well as death1.
In his analysis, Dr. Marcus and his team asked if there would be an association between intensive blood pressure control and PACs or PVCs shown on 12-Lead ECGs. With no significant association between intensive BP control and PACs or PVCs, the team concluded that more studies, like the BEAT-AFib Study, are needed to understand further about associations between BP or BP control and cardiac ectopy2. Read his 2025 HRS abstract here.
References:
- Williamson, J. D., Supiano, M. A., Applegate, W. B., Berlowitz, D. R., Campbell, R. C., Chertow, G. M., Fine, L. J., Haley, W. E., Hawfield, A. T., Ix, J. H., Kitzman, D. W., Kostis, J. B., Krousel-Wood, M. A., Launer, L. J., Oparil, S., Rodriguez, C. J., Roumie, C. L., Shorr, R. I., Sink, K. M., & Wadley, V. G. (2016). Intensive vs Standard Blood Pressure Control and Cardiovascular Disease Outcomes in Adults Aged ≥75 Years. JAMA, 315(24), 2673. https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2016.7050
- Pundi, K., Frimodt-Moeller, K. E., Soliman, E. Z., & Marcus, G. M. (2025). PO-02-147 ASSOCIATION OF BLOOD PRESSURE CONTROL WITH ATRIAL AND VENTRICULAR ECTOPY IN SPRINT. Heart Rhythm, 22(4), S300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrthm.2025.03.629
