Alcohol and the heart: to drink or not to drink

Recently in the press are increasing reports with reference to the foreign experts about the fact that drinking alcohol in moderation has beneficial effects on the heart, and so those who do not drink, you need to quit addiction to sobriety. True or not? If so, what to do?

It concerns all or not? What exactly is "moderate"? Try to understand.

It is well known that alcohol can have very negative effects on the heart.

Most Western research shows that there is a direct relationship between alcohol consumption and high blood pressure. One study found that nelechivshiesya moderate drinkers with high blood pressure after reducing alcohol consumption by half experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure.

People who drink a lot of alcohol are at increased risk of death from stroke. In Canada, for 11 years there was a group of 3146 men aged 35-79 years who have not had heart disease.

The results showed that the death rate from stroke is clearly linked to the consumption of alcohol in a "dose-response". The study noted some straightforward relationship between alcohol consumption and the likelihood of occurrence of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Alcohol in large quantities is associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy.

Studies in Finland, Puerto Rico, New Zealand and other countries have shown that there is a direct relationship between alcohol consumption and acute myocardial and sudden coronary death.

Research in emergency room cases of atrial fibrillation (a common heart rhythm disorder) showed that alcohol was the cause or one of the reasons that 2/3 of all cases.

Thus, for this group of heart disease found that the more people drink, the greater the risk of the disease, and not revealed consumption threshold below which there is no risk.

The question of the positive effects of alcohol on the heart arose on the basis of epidemiological studies that have since 1920 found that the relationship between alcohol consumption and mortality (mainly mortality from coronary heart disease - CHD) is described (though not always) the curve J-shaped or U-shaped.

This means that the death rate of those who drank little lower than both abstainers and those who drink a lot. There is no evidence that the selection of alcoholic drinks (vodka, wine or beer) effect on risk reduction, as well as the fact that alcohol consumption reduces the risk of CHD youth in later life.

As you know, the BSC is very common among the population of western countries and, therefore, in most of these studies examined deaths among older men in these countries. Studies of different groups that differ by gender, ethnicity or socio-economic characteristics, often do not give the same results.

A study in Japan, the study found that the relationship between alcohol and mortality identified in Western countries, is not observed in the Japanese population, where the rate of occurrence of CHD is much lower, and the level of stroke, which has a direct relationship with alcohol consumption is much higher.

In the British Regional Heart Study the protective effect was observed only among manual workers and those who smoke. A study in Finland 5-year study of 4532 men showed a small, but a direct link between the death of the BSC and the level of alcohol consumption.

During the anti-alcohol campaign of 1985-1987, overall mortality from cardiovascular diseases has not changed, and in the age group 0-64 years, it decreased significantly in Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet republics. It is clear, however, that the epidemiological data indicate only that the two indicators have some connection, but do not answer the question of what this relationship is due.

As is known, "then" it does not necessarily mean "thereby". The death rate in the US Army less than the national average, but no it is not recommended for better health to wear uniforms. The search for a biological mechanism explaining reduce the risk of CHD with moderate alcohol consumption is very active, but so far without success.

They mainly focused on the study of lipid levels and aggregation of platelets. Thus, as stated in the book "Alcohol policy and the public good", commissioned by the WHO 17, the world's leading experts, "evidence of the protective effect of alcohol consumption on CHD convincing level of associations, but at the level of causality - that's just an assumption."

For reasons we will address later, but I wonder to what conclusions the Western experts on the basis of epidemiological data. In 1993 in Toronto (Canada) hosted an international symposium on "Moderate alcohol consumption and health." They concluded that moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of CHD in middle age and on the basis of this conclusion made specific recommendations, namely:

POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE:

There is no reason to weaken alcohol-control policies in light of the potential to reduce the risk of disease with moderate alcohol consumption.

In light of the potential to reduce morbidity with moderate consumption, it makes sense to encourage the replacement of the high level of alcohol consumption low.

The educational materials should not be recommended to those who adhere to sobriety, start drinking to reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as to recommend to those who drink occasionally, go to regular drinking.

TIPS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL

* General recommendation - should not drink more than 20 grams of alcohol a day.

* For some groups, this limit is even lower.

* Those who abstain from alcohol should not start drinking to reduce the risk of disease.

* For those who do not drink every day, should not be to increase consumption to reduce the risk of disease.

* All those who drank more than 20 grams of alcohol per day, reduce the consumption of alcohol.

* In order to minimize the risk of disease, it is necessary for at least one day per week to abstain from alcohol.

* Anyone who consume alcohol should not be drunk to intoxication.

* Pregnant women should refrain from alcohol.

* In certain circumstances and for certain categories of people alcohol is contraindicated.

* For those who want to increase their alcohol consumption in order to improve health, you should first consult a physician.

Alcohol and the heart: to drink or not to drink

Recently in the press are increasing reports with reference to the foreign experts about the fact that drinking alcohol in moderation has beneficial effects on the heart, and so those who do not drink, you need to quit addiction to sobriety. True or not? If so, what to do?

It concerns all or not? What exactly is "moderate"? Try to understand.

It is well known that alcohol can have very negative effects on the heart.

Most Western research shows that there is a direct relationship between alcohol consumption and high blood pressure. One study found that nelechivshiesya moderate drinkers with high blood pressure after reducing alcohol consumption by half experienced a significant reduction in blood pressure.

People who drink a lot of alcohol are at increased risk of death from stroke. In Canada, for 11 years there was a group of 3146 men aged 35-79 years who have not had heart disease.

The results showed that the death rate from stroke is clearly linked to the consumption of alcohol in a "dose-response". The study noted some straightforward relationship between alcohol consumption and the likelihood of occurrence of a cerebral hemorrhage.

Alcohol in large quantities is associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias and cardiomyopathy.

Studies in Finland, Puerto Rico, New Zealand and other countries have shown that there is a direct relationship between alcohol consumption and acute myocardial and sudden coronary death.

Research in emergency room cases of atrial fibrillation (a common heart rhythm disorder) showed that alcohol was the cause or one of the reasons that 2/3 of all cases.

Thus, for this group of heart disease found that the more people drink, the greater the risk of the disease, and not revealed consumption threshold below which there is no risk.

The question of the positive effects of alcohol on the heart arose on the basis of epidemiological studies that have since 1920 found that the relationship between alcohol consumption and mortality (mainly mortality from coronary heart disease - CHD) is described (though not always) the curve J-shaped or U-shaped.

This means that the death rate of those who drank little lower than both abstainers and those who drink a lot. There is no evidence that the selection of alcoholic drinks (vodka, wine or beer) effect on risk reduction, as well as the fact that alcohol consumption reduces the risk of CHD youth in later life.

As you know, the BSC is very common among the population of western countries and, therefore, in most of these studies examined deaths among older men in these countries. Studies of different groups that differ by gender, ethnicity or socio-economic characteristics, often do not give the same results.

A study in Japan, the study found that the relationship between alcohol and mortality identified in Western countries, is not observed in the Japanese population, where the rate of occurrence of CHD is much lower, and the level of stroke, which has a direct relationship with alcohol consumption is much higher.

In the British Regional Heart Study the protective effect was observed only among manual workers and those who smoke. A study in Finland 5-year study of 4532 men showed a small, but a direct link between the death of the BSC and the level of alcohol consumption.

During the anti-alcohol campaign of 1985-1987, overall mortality from cardiovascular diseases has not changed, and in the age group 0-64 years, it decreased significantly in Russia, Ukraine and other former Soviet republics. It is clear, however, that the epidemiological data indicate only that the two indicators have some connection, but do not answer the question of what this relationship is due.

As is known, "then" it does not necessarily mean "thereby". The death rate in the US Army less than the national average, but no it is not recommended for better health to wear uniforms. The search for a biological mechanism explaining reduce the risk of CHD with moderate alcohol consumption is very active, but so far without success.

They mainly focused on the study of lipid levels and aggregation of platelets. Thus, as stated in the book "Alcohol policy and the public good", commissioned by the WHO 17, the world's leading experts, "evidence of the protective effect of alcohol consumption on CHD convincing level of associations, but at the level of causality - that's just an assumption."

For reasons we will address later, but I wonder to what conclusions the Western experts on the basis of epidemiological data. In 1993 in Toronto (Canada) hosted an international symposium on "Moderate alcohol consumption and health." They concluded that moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of CHD in middle age and on the basis of this conclusion made specific recommendations, namely:

POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE:

There is no reason to weaken alcohol-control policies in light of the potential to reduce the risk of disease with moderate alcohol consumption.

In light of the potential to reduce morbidity with moderate consumption, it makes sense to encourage the replacement of the high level of alcohol consumption low.

The educational materials should not be recommended to those who adhere to sobriety, start drinking to reduce the risk of heart disease, as well as to recommend to those who drink occasionally, go to regular drinking.

TIPS FOR INDIVIDUAL CONSUMPTION OF ALCOHOL

* General recommendation - should not drink more than 20 grams of alcohol a day.

* For some groups, this limit is even lower.

* Those who abstain from alcohol should not start drinking to reduce the risk of disease.

* For those who do not drink every day, should not be to increase consumption to reduce the risk of disease.

* All those who drank more than 20 grams of alcohol per day, reduce the consumption of alcohol.

* In order to minimize the risk of disease, it is necessary for at least one day per week to abstain from alcohol.

* Anyone who consume alcohol should not be drunk to intoxication.

* Pregnant women should refrain from alcohol.

* In certain circumstances and for certain categories of people alcohol is contraindicated.

* For those who want to increase their alcohol consumption in order to improve health, you should first consult a physician.