ALCOHOL AND HEART

It is thought that drinking of red wine (150ml), 1-2 small peg or whiskey or a bottle of beer daily reduces the risk of heart diseases.

This is discussed by drinkers to justify their drinking. It is also been found by various studies that alcohol drinkers can improve the cholesterol profile of blood to same extent. Some studies suggest that the risk for CAD may be lower in moderate drinkers than who don’t drink at all. But before alcohol is consumed as heart tonic, its potential benefits must be weighted against it other adverse effects on heart, like, on blood pressure, heart rhythm, heart muscles beside other social psychological, physical, emotional, financial problems, caused by alcohol.

CORONARY ARTERY DISEASES AND ALCOHOL

CAD (Angina and heart attacks) are number one killer in the world.

Many researchers have shown that moderate alcohol consumption can lead to lower risk of CAD. It has been found out that alcohol lower blood cholesterol, LDL cholesterol which are responsible for atherosclerosis and then CAD. It also raises the blood level of good HDL cholesterol. HDL act as a scavenger which remove cholesterol from the blood and carry it to lever to be utilized. Moderate alcohol consumption can raise the HDL cholesterol level by as much as 35 percent, comparable to what occurs with regular exercise.

Does that mean that remaining sedentary, and not doing exercise, eating unhealthy food, one can have a bottle of beer or 1-2 peg of whiskey will remain healthy and protected from heart diseases.

Perhaps alcohol beneficial effect on cholesterol and CAD are over rated. Even, if low to moderate alcohol consumption may reduce the risk of CAD consistently heavy drinking is associated with a high risk of heart diseases. Beside alcohol have many other adverse effects on heart and blood pressure which can directly or in directly increase the risk of CAD and sudden death. So these facts should be taken in consideration before starting the drinking or continuing the hobbit.

BLOOD PRESSURE AND ALCOHOL

Alcohol consumption raises the blood pressure, even can lead to high blood pressure an can raise blood pressure to dangerous levels in hypertensive It can interfere with blood pressure control. These effects have been seen in the social and regular drinkers. The effects are more in women than men with equal amount of alcohol.

Most Studies suggest that rise in blood pressure is proportional to the amount of alcohol consumed. Drinking is often associated with smoking and munching of snacks. Alcoholic beverages are high in calories.

Each gram of alcohol (Ethanol) provide 7 Calories. So a beer has about 160 calories. Usually moderate drinkers gain weight due to alcohol and associated eating habits. Drinkers if become overweight or obese then they have difficulty in controlling or reducing weight, which further exaggerate the problem leading to further rise in blood pressure and increase chances of heart disease.

Alcohol provide empty calories, and don’t contain other essential nutrients, so heavy drinkers often suffer from obvious or subclinical deficiency of essential nutrients, like proteins, vitamins, mineral.

STROKE AND ALCOHOL:-

Alcohol effects on blood pressure are probably responsible for high rate of stroke among people who drink heavy. Moreover, alcoholics are more likely to suffer from stroke due to sub arachnoid hemorrhage (bleeding in brain) the most dangerous form of strokes. Studies have revealed that stroke are two times more common in men and 7 times more among women who drink heavily than non drinkers.

ABNORMAL HEART RHYTHM AND ALCOHOL

Disordered heart rhythm called arrhythmias due alcohol intake is very common and physician called it Holiday Heart syndrome, as most people drink heavily on holidays and they can develop this problem. Heart beat become rapid irregular after heavy drinking. The problem can occur both in occasional as well as regular drinkers. In some people disordered heart rhythm may be barely noticed while in others it can cause palpitation, shortness of breath or even fainting.

Alcohol induced arrhythmias can some time lead to sudden death. In USSR, about 17 percent of sudden death are considered to be due to alcohol induced arrhythmia, cardiac arrest.

HEART FAILURE AND ALCOHOL:-

Long term excessive consumption of alcohol is toxic to the cardiac muscles. Usually heavy drinkers also suffer from vitamin deficiency as they start neglecting balanced, nutrition’s diet. This combined effect can lead to “ALCOHOLIC CARDIOMYOPATHY” in which heart muscle are weakened, heart enlarges and thus can’t function effectively as blood can’t by pumped properly and adequately from the heart it leads to heart failure. Patients’ develop edema shortness of breath, weakness, fatigue, cough etc. Usually cardiac myopathy occurs in heavy drinkers after about 10 years. But abnormalities in heart function can be detected by Echo cardio graphy much earlier. Patients suffering from heart failure avoiding alcohol is necessary to decrease the likely hood of death.

Beside high blood pressure, alcohol use can also cause heart failure. In these patients too, alcohol is prohibited.

HOW MUCH ALCOHOL IS SAFE:-

Al though even it seems that one or two drinks a day improve the cholesterol profile and may slightly reduce the risk of heart attack, but it can also cause weight gain, raise blood pressure and causes other problems. So it’s foolish thought to start drinking on pretest that alcohol can protect you from heart diseases. One usually start with small amount, but most people looses the control and forget the limit and quantity and frequency increases. When one get beyond one or two drinks a day the risk of heart failure, strokes go up with each extra peg. So non drinkers should not start consuming alcohol. While drinkers should also limit the intake I.e. Maximum two peg for men and one peg for women of whisky and equivalent amount of other alcoholic beverages.

Thanks,

Health-October-2012