Women who drink 8 glasses of alcohol, or more than one a day, have an increased risk of suffering from coronary heart disease, a new study shows.
- Drinking more than one drink per day can increase the risk of coronary heart disease, especially in women under 50.
- Among women without alcohol problems, those who reported heavy alcohol consumption had a 45% higher risk of heart disease than those who drank moderately.
- For researchers, this new study draws attention to the health risks associated with alcohol consumption and highlights the importance of considering alcohol consumption in efforts to assess and prevent cardiac risks .
If you toast regularly or like to have a glass of wine at the table, pay attention to your heart. Drinking eight alcoholic drinks a week increases the risk of coronary heart disease in women, especially younger women, according to a new study.
This work will be presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Cardiology which will be held from April 6 to 8, 2024 in Atlanta.
Coronary heart disease: a 45% increased risk from 8 drinks per week
For this study, scientists reviewed the medical records of nearly 243,000 men and 189,000 women aged 18 to 65 living in the USA. The participants were on average 44 years old and did not have heart disease at the start of the research. Their overall alcohol consumption was rated as low, moderate, or high. During the 4 years of follow-up, 3,108 volunteers were diagnosed with coronary heart disease.
The results show that the incidence of the heart disorder increased with higher levels of alcohol consumption. Among women, volunteers who reported drinking eight or more drinks had a 45% increased risk of heart disease compared to those with low consumption (one to two drinks per week). The risk was 29% higher compared to those who drank moderately (three to seven glasses per week).
“When it comes to binge drinking, both men and women with binge drinking had a higher risk of heart disease”explains Dr Jamal Rana and lead author of the study in a communicated.
“For women, we see a consistently higher risk, even without excessive alcohol consumption. I did not expect these results in women in this lower age group, because we generally see an increased risk of disease heart rate in older women. It was really surprising.”
Heart: be careful with alcohol consumption
For the cardiologist and his team, this study shows that it is essential to take alcohol consumption into account when assessing the risks of heart disease, particularly in women under 50. For them, it is also important to raise awareness about the harmful effects of alcohol on the heart.
“Women feel protected from heart disease until they are older, but this study shows that even when you are young or middle-aged, if you are a heavy drinker or if you drink excessively, you run the risk of coronary heart disease.”confirms Dr. Rana.