Alcohol and the heart: to abstain or not to abstain?

International Journal of Cardiology
Rajesh Movva, Vincent M Figueredo

Abstract

Alcohol has been consumed by most societies over the last 7000 years. Abraham Lincoln said "It has long been recognized that the problems with alcohol relate not to the use of a bad thing, but to the abuse of a good thing." Light to moderate alcohol consumption reduces the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD), ischemic stroke, peripheral arterial disease, CHD mortality, and all-cause mortality, especially in the western populations. However, heavy alcohol consumption is detrimental causing cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmias, hepatic cirrhosis, pancreatitis, and hemorrhagic stroke. In this article, we review the effects of alcohol on CHD, individual cardiovascular risk factors, cardiomyopathy, and cardiac arrhythmias, including the most recent evidence of the effects of alcohol on CHD.

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Oct 16, 2015·European Journal of Epidemiology·Martin BobakMichael G Marmot
Jul 21, 2015·International Journal of Cardiology·Gonzalo Guzzo-MerelloPablo Garcia-Pavia
Jan 13, 2015·Alcoholism, Clinical and Experimental Research·Emanuel Rubin
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Jan 25, 2014·International Journal of Cardiology·Rajesh Movva, Vincent M Figueredo
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