December in the Philippines is the season for endless revelry, parties, potlucks, dinners, and drinking sprees.
The Christmas and New Year holidays, after all, are the perfect excuses for Filipinos to forget their problems, relax and let off steam.
But, as the old saying goes, everything in moderation.
Medical experts have warned that excess eating and drinking can lead to serious heart conditions.
In fact, the trend of rising cases of heart diseases right after the holidays has become so common that medical experts have coined a term for this trend: Holiday Heart Syndrome.
At a recent forum in Tagaytay City, Cavite, Dr. Maria Encarnita Limpin of the Philippine Heart Center (PHC) described Holiday Heart Syndrome as a “sensation of erratic heartbeat” that can be experienced even by individuals without a history of heart problems.
The symptoms, she related, are often the result of binge drinking, overeating, and lack of sleep during the holiday season.
“We are expecting that the holiday heart syndrome will be seen this season. The fact that a lot of Filipinos drink alcohol means that cardiac specialty centers in the country can have problems,” the doctor explained.
With the drinking age getting younger, Limpin warned that the “holiday heart syndrome” can be experienced by individuals of any age, especially those opting for hard liquor.
Among the early symptoms of the holiday heart syndrome are rapid and irregular heart rate, pulsing sensations in the neck.
“Of course, there are other, more frightening arrhythmias, going as high as 160 (bpm) or more.”
Without emergency treatment, the ‘holiday heart syndrome’ can lead to chest pain and even cardiac arrest, she warned.
Heart diseases still rank as among the leading causes of death in the Philippines from January to April 2025, based on data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).
Aside from heart diseases, health authorities in the Philippines are now on high alert for other health issues that often arise during the Christmas and New Year revelries.
These include the expected rise in traffic accidents, firecracker-related injuries, and gastrointestinal diseases arising from binge eating and unsafe food preparation.
Health experts have also advised Filipinos to continue practicing a “healthy lifestyle” such as limiting the intake of fatty and oily foods, and doing regular exercises during the holiday season.
(With report from the Philippine Information Agency)
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