Alcohol's Toll on the Heart: Bigger, Not Better

Drinking alcohol, even in moderate amounts, may increase the size of the heart's left atrium, a new study finds. The left atrium is one of the two upper chambers of the heart, along with the right atrium. When it is enlarged, a person is at risk for developing a type of irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, which can, in turn, lead to other problems, including stroke.