Drinking in excess leads to increased risk of congestive heart failure, study shows
An estimated 10 million to 15 Americans abuse alcohol, meaning excessive drinking negatively affects their lives. Now, research suggests a link between too much drinking and heart problems, is the No. 1 cause of death worldwide.
According to a research published on Monday in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Abusing alcohol increases the likelihood of suffering atrial fibrillation, heart attack or congestive heart failure.
“One of the most surprising findings is that people who abused alcohol are at increased risk for heart attack or myocardial infarction,” said Dr. Gregory M. Marcus, director of clinical research in the Division of Cardiology at the University of California, San Francisco and senior author of the study. Past data suggests that moderate drinking may be protective, he said, helping ward off this disease.
Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, director of women’s heart health at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, believes that both scientists and the media have been highlighting the good components of alcohol, such as resveratrol in wine, and “been really pushing that a glass of wine is good for our health.”
But the bottom line of this new study is clear, she said.
“When we look at alcohol, we have almost glamorized it as being this substance that can help us live a really heart-healthy life,” said Steinbaum, who was not involved in the research. “I think, ultimately, drinking in excess leads to heart conditions, and we should really understand the potential toxicity of alcohol and not glamorize it as something we should include as part of our lives — certainly not in excess.”
In surveying the data on millions of patients, the researchers discovered that alcohol abuse was associated with atrial fibrillation, heart attack and heart failure.
The National Institutes of Health frequently highlight the ways in which too much drinking can lead to accidents, cirrhosis and some cancers. However, cardiovascular studies have suggested that moderate consumption of alcohol is good for our heart health.
The authors of the new study cite a 2007 study published in the journal Circulation. Not only did moderate drinking lead to no negative effects, the study authors conclude that “moderate drinking may lower the risk of heart failure.”
According to Dr. Scott Krakower, assistant unit chief of psychiatry at Zucker Hillside Hospital in New Hyde Park, New York, alcohol abuse is generally not dependence. Instead, it’s when “you’re using it excessively at times and it’s getting in the way of functioning.”
“Abuse doesn’t necessarily lead to a pattern where you use it every day and you’re developing a tolerance or developing withdrawal symptoms,” said Krakower, who was not involved in the study. He added that alcohol abuse is when “you start having problems with alcohol it might affect you physically, but it can also have social implications and psychological implications,” such as trouble with relationships or problems at work.
The exact equation of how much is too much has never really been answered, and “part of the reason for that is metabolism is different in everyone,” Steinbaum said. Metabolism of alcohol is slower for women than for men, and individual fat distribution and muscle mass also play into how quickly alcohol is metabolized.
“We have an understanding (by the American Heart Association) that a glass of wine a day for women and two glasses of wine a day for men are good,” Steinbaum said. “What is a glass? Four to 6 ounces.”
When it comes to helping patients with alcohol abuse, Krakower said, primary care doctors can use the latest step-by-step guidance tools to screen patients and “see if a person has a problem with alcohol and from there determine what level of intervention is necessary.”
Still, no matter the characteristics of any individual patient, excessive alcohol is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation and heart failure; increasing awareness of this both among practitioners and individuals, may actually reduce or prevent those important diseases.
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