Regular Tipple Keeps Heart Attacks at Bay

A new US study suggests people with high blood pressure and heart disease need not be teetotalers; such people might actually benefit for a regular drink or two. The study found controlled drinking actually reduces the risk of a heart attack in men with hypertension.

Published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the study covered more than 11,700 male healthcare professionals and observed their drinking habits. The researchers found moderate alcohol consumption – one or two glasses of beer, wine or shots of liquor – actually provided heart benefits for men with high blood pressure.

At the same time the study also showed light drinkers did not gain any benefits over non-drinkers. Light drinkers are those who consume less than one drink every two or three days. Heavy drinking on the other hand – more than three drinks a day – actually raises blood pressure and the risk of hypertension. “So our findings are not a licence for men with hypertension to overindulge,” stressed the study authors.

Lead author Joline Beulens, at the Harvard School of Public Health stated, “Because excess alcohol intake clearly increases blood pressure, many men with hypertension are counselled not to drink, but our results suggest that may not be necessary if men drink safely and responsibly.”

The study is not the first to show that alcohol can be good for the heart. Earlier research has confirmed one way alcohol consumption increases the levels of “good” cholesterol and makes the blood thinner. This in turn reduces heart disease risk. Experts however warn alcohol can be harmful and should not be used as a medicine.

Judy O’Sullivan of the British Heart Foundation said, “With alcohol consumption there is a fine line between benefit and risk. This study concluded that drinking alcohol in moderation is safe for men with high blood pressure. However, alcohol should not be used as a medicine and those who are teetotal do not need to start consuming alcohol to benefit their heart health.”

“It should be remembered that drinking to excess carries serious health risks. If you want to improve your heart health our advice is to avoid smoking, eat a balanced diet low in salt and saturated fat and take regular physical activity,” she advised.

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