Young and middle-aged women who average one or more alcoholic drinks a day have a lower risk of coronary artery disease than women who drink less, according to a new study to be presented in April at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Sessions. There is a high possibility of developing sexual heart disease.

The risk is particularly high among binge drinkers, both men and women, but researchers found that the link between alcohol and heart disease was particularly strong in women.

“When it comes to binge drinking, both men and women who consume excessive amounts of alcohol are at increased risk for heart disease,” says Permanente Medical Group cardiologist and Kaiser Permanente Northern research adjunct research scientist. said Dr. Jamal Rana. The state of California and the study’s lead author issued a written statement. “For women, we see a consistently higher risk even in the absence of binge drinking. We typically see higher risk for heart disease in older women, so we see this in women in this younger age group. I didn’t expect such a result. It was definitely a surprise.”

Coronary artery disease is the most common form of heart disease and the leading cause of death among women in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Plaque on artery walls restricts blood flow to the heart and other parts of the body. Although hormonal changes increase the risk of coronary artery disease after menopause, many believe that younger women are at lower risk. This study raises questions about whether women drink alcohol. Other types of heart disease that are common in women include arrhythmias and heart failure.

According to the release, alcohol is known to increase blood pressure and cause metabolic changes associated with inflammation and obesity. Additionally, men and women process alcohol differently.

“When we think of heart disease, the first thing that comes to mind is smoking, and we don’t think of alcohol as a vital sign,” Lana says. “I think there needs to be more awareness. Alcohol should be included as part of regular health checkups from now on.”

“Young and middle-aged women are drinking more, because they may feel protected from heart disease until adulthood,” she told The Washington Post. “This study shows that even in that age group, women who drink alcohol are drinking more.” If you exceed the recommended amount of one drink a day or if you tend to binge eat or drink, you are at increased risk for coronary heart disease. ”

Risk increases with consumption

“This study focused on adults ages 18 to 65 and is the largest and most diverse study to date examining the association between alcohol and heart disease,” according to a news release from the American College of Cardiology. Heart attacks and other heart diseases are on the rise among young people in the United States, raising concerns about their declining health. At the same time, alcohol use and binge drinking are more common among women than in past decades. ”

Data from more than 430,000 people cared for by Kaiser Permanente Northern California healthcare providers was used, including 243,000 men and 189,000 women. The average age of the participants was 44 years and they did not have heart disease at the start of the study. During his primary care visits in 2014 and 2015, each person was asked about his alcohol intake and provided with visual aids to help him calculate how much he drank.

Researchers considered a low intake of 1 to 2 drinks per week for both men and women, but a moderate intake of 3 to 14 drinks per week for men and 3 to 7 drinks per week for women. I thought. The highest intakes were 15 or more drinks per week for men and 8 or more for women. They independently rated binge drinking of 4 or more drinks for men and 3 or more drinks for women in a day in the past 3 months.

They excluded nondrinkers from the study and also adjusted for age, physical activity, smoking, and other known cardiovascular risks.

A total of 3,108 study participants were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease during the four years of follow-up after the initial assessment, with incidence increasing as alcohol consumption increased. Women who consumed a lot of alcohol but did not binge drink had a 45% higher risk of heart disease than women who drank less, and 29% higher than those who drank moderately. People who overate were 68% more likely to develop heart disease than those who ate in moderation.

The study, which was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, found that men who consumed heavy alcohol were 33% more likely to develop heart disease than men who drank moderately. it was high.