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March 28, 2024

3 minute read


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Important points:

  • The relationship between excessive alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease is not well understood.
  • Researchers reported that women, especially those who self-reported binge drinking, were at additional risk.

Young and middle-aged adults who report high alcohol intake (at least 15 drinks per week for men and 8 or more drinks per week for women) are more likely to develop coronary heart disease compared to adults who consume less alcohol It was highly sexual.

According to a study to be published at American College, the risk of CHD is higher in men who report binge drinking, defined as at least five drinks per day for men and four or more drinks per day for women, in the past three months. and highest in both women. Cardiology Science Session.



couple drinking alcohol
The relationship between excessive alcohol consumption and coronary heart disease is not well understood. Image: Adobe Stock

This study, which utilized a systematic alcohol screening program in a large, diverse, real-world population, “showed an increased risk of coronary heart disease, especially among women.” ” Jamal S. Rana, MD, PhD, FACC; a cardiologist at Permanente Medical Group and adjunct research scientist in Kaiser Permanente Northern California’s research division, said in a web briefing.

The relationship between alcohol and heart disease

Jamal S. Lana

“Excessive alcohol consumption is a serious public health problem in the United States, killing approximately 140,000 people a year,” Rana said at a news conference.

Rana said recent reports have shown an increase in mortality rates among middle-aged and young people due to drug and alcohol-related incidents and suicide.

However, the link between alcohol consumption, including binge drinking, and CHD risk is not well understood, Rana said.

The study involved more than 432,000 men and women between the ages of 18 and 65 who had never had heart disease or stroke. 44% were women (mean age 43 years) and half were white. Rana said this is one of the largest and more diverse studies to date examining the link between alcohol and CHD.

Participants completed primary care visits within the Kaiser Permanente Northern California Health System from 2014 to 2015, during which they participated in the organization’s Alcohol as a Vital Sign screening initiative, which estimates patients’ alcohol intake. (e.g. supporting posters) to report their weekly alcohol consumption levels. .

Alcohol intake was defined as:

  • Low (1-2 drinks per week for both men and women)
  • Moderate (3-14 drinks per week for men, 3-7 drinks per week for women)
  • High (15 drinks per week for men, 8 drinks per week for women)

The researchers then analyzed newly diagnosed CHD over a four-year follow-up.

“Women are consistently at higher risk.”

Overall, 3,108 men and women were diagnosed with CHD over a 4-year period.

Researchers reported that the incidence of CHD increased as weekly alcohol intake increased.

Participants who did not report episodic heavy drinking (defined as drinking 5 or more drinks for men and 4 or more drinks for women on at least 1 day in the past 3 months) had a 45% risk of CHD. Increased. Data presented at the briefing showed that women were at higher risk, with a 15% increased risk for men who reported high intakes compared to moderate intakes.

Among participants who reported binge drinking, women who reported heavy consumption compared to moderate consumption had a 68% increased risk of CHD, and men had a 33% increased risk.

“Even among non-heavy drinkers, we found that women were consistently at higher risk. [consuming] On average, I drink more than one drink a day,” Lana said.

The results showed that among women, those who reported high consumption had a 29% higher risk of CHD compared to those who drank only one to two drinks per week.

Rana said the biggest difference was among those who reported binge drinking.

“There aren’t a lot of studies looking at binge drinking, but it’s actually very prevalent among young people,” Lana says.

The results showed no significant difference in CHD risk between participants who reported moderate and low alcohol intake, regardless of whether they were classified as binge drinkers.

Health risks of excessive alcohol consumption

Rana said the study calls attention to the health risks of alcohol consumption, particularly binge drinking, and highlights the importance of considering alcohol use in heart disease risk assessment and prevention efforts. .

“At a public health level, I think we need to start considering alcohol use as a vital sign, similar to how we approach smoking, for example,” Rana said at a briefing.

Rana said alcohol has been shown to increase blood pressure and cause metabolic changes associated with obesity and inflammation. Regarding the differences in CHD risk between men and women seen in this study, he said it is important to note that there are pharmacokinetic and physiological differences in how men and women process alcohol.

The researchers noted that a limitation of the study was that patients tended to underreport their alcohol intake when asked by their doctors. Rana said that while the systematic alcohol screening program utilized in this study was very comprehensive in collecting data on alcohol consumption, the classification of weekly drinking amounts was not consistent with standard U.S. guidelines. based on the results, and stated that the level of alcohol consumption was not that high. According to the researchers, this study may provide a conservative estimate of CHD risk associated with alcohol consumption.

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