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Heart-healthy dose of alcohol named

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Moderate alcohol consumption reduces the risk of heart attack and death in people with cardiovascular disease.

Scientists from University College London have estimated the risk of worsening heart disease and death in people with underlying cardiovascular problems based on their daily alcohol intake. 

It turned out that those who drink half a glass of wine a day have even lower risks than non-drinkers, and those who consume a glass of wine or a bottle of beer a day are about the same. 

For the analysis, the databases of the health services of England and Scotland, the British biobank UK Biobank, as well as the results of 12 previous studies were used. 

In total, information was collected on 48,000 men and women with cardiovascular diseases (heart attack, stroke, angina pectoris or death from a heart attack) over the past 20 years, as well as information on the average alcohol consumption obtained from the participants itself.

Scientists from UCL found that, among people with CVD, those who drank up to 15 grams of alcohol per day – equivalent to less than two UK units, with one unit equal to half a pint of medium-strength beer or half a standard glass of wine – had a lower risk of recurrent heart attack, stroke, angina or death, compared to those who did not drink.

They also found that those who drank more than 62 grams of alcohol per day – equivalent to less than eight UK units – did not have an increased risk of recurrent heart attack, stroke, angina or death, compared to those who did not drink alcohol.

While drinking up to 15 grams of alcohol per day was associated with lower risks of heart attack, stroke, angina or death, the researchers found that those with the lowest risk drank between six and eight grams of alcohol per day – equivalent to less than one UK unit.

Those who drank six grams of alcohol per day had a 50% lower risk of recurrent heart attack, angina or stroke than those who did not drink. Those who drank eight grams per day had a 27% lower risk of death due to heart attack, stroke or angina, and those who drank seven grams per day had a 21% lower risk of death due to any cause, compared to those who did not drink.

Chengyi Ding, the corresponding author, concluded:

“Our findings suggest that people with CVD may not need to stop drinking in order to prevent additional heart attacks, strokes or angina, but that they may wish to consider lowering their weekly alcohol intake. As alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing other illnesses, those with CVD who do not drink should not be encouraged to take up drinking.”

The results of the study were published in the journal BMC Medicine, writes Eurekalert.

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