 | Joseph P. Galichia, MD is the founder and Medical Director of the Galichia Medical Group, PA. He is an internationally recognized pioneer in the field of interventional cardiology. In the 70's, Dr. Galichia studied in Zurich, Switzerland with the inventors of the balloon angioplasty technique for treating heart disease. As a result of his experience, he was able to bring this historic technique back to the United States where he was one of the first physicians to perform coronary angioplasty here. A noted medical spokesman, he appears on a weekly Newstalk segment on KWCH Channel 12 and has a weekly syndicated radio talk show on KNSS 1330 AM every Saturday live from 11:00 am to noon. Dr. Galichia may be contacted by sending an e-mail to service@galichia.com |
Health & Medicine
2004-10-01 15:07:00
Does alcohol affect your heart?
: How can alcohol consumption be a risk to your heart?
ANSWER: The relationship between alcohol consumption and effects on the heart is perplexed. There are many on going studies to prove risks and benefits of alcohol on health. It varies from person to person according to the age, pattern of drinking, amount of consumption and an individual's tolerance to alcohol. Excessive drinking can be harmful to health by increasing the chance of high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, suicide, accidents, fetal alcohol syndrome, stomach and liver damage. There have been many studies suggesting that moderate use of alcohol may protect the heart, but for some e.g. with heart disease even moderate amount can be dangerous.AHA recommendation for alcohol consumption is 1-2 drinks per day for men and 1 drink per day for women. If you drink more than 3 drinks a day, speak to your doctor and let him know before he puts you on beta-blockers, aspirin, etc. Drinking too much can increase triglycerides (a cholesterol component) in blood that can cause high blood pressure and obesity. Another risk to the heart is that obesity can make you prone to diabetes. Heavy and long term alcohol use can cause stroke due to blood vessel rupture. Studies suggest that alcohol may provide some level of protection against ischemic stroke while increasing risk of hemorrhagic stroke. Excessive alcohol and drugs, like cocaine and amphetamines, are the most common cause of intracranial hemorrhage for people in their 20's and 30's. It causes cardiomyopathy, (a disease of heart muscles) due to poor absorption and storage of a vitamin called thiamine which could eventually cause heart failure. Although in the U.S. deficiency of this vitamin is very rare because of sufficient vitamin supplementation through enriched foods, though it is better to have this point in mind. Binge drinking can cause cardiac arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death that has been called 'holiday heart syndrome'. Again, ongoing studies are clarifying the relationship between alcohol use and peripheral vascular disease. Alcohol causes blood vessel narrowing and thus can be one of the causes of peripheral vessel disease.In the early 90's, the health promoting properties of red wine gained scientific attention. Experiments showed that red wine led to full platelet aggregation and increased HDL (good cholesterol), but other alcoholic beverages enhanced platelet aggregation. Studies have shown that red wine contains a health-promoting component 'Resveratrol' that comes from the skin of the red grapes and also some other biologically effective elements. Resveratrol has been a primary ingredient of a historic oriental drug called 'kojo-kon' that was used for skin inflammations, fungal infections and heart and liver diseases. Resveratrol exhibits protection against atherosclerosis by decreasing free radical injury to heart and inhibits platelet aggregation. Besides it has also demonstrated anti- cancerous properties, besides breast cancer. But most of this research is done on an experimental basis. Evidence of these effects of red wine in humans needs more investigation.Although there have been many beneficial effects of red wine pointed out, if you don't drink alcohol and want the heart benefits, you can get it by eating decent amounts of fruits and vegetables that are rich in anti-oxidants like onions and apples and by drinking green tea. Grapes and peanuts are a good source of resveratrol. Keeping in mind that peanuts are a rich source of cholesterol also.How alcohol affects the cardiovascular system needs further research. Although there are potential benefits of alcohol to the heart, particularly red wine, the American Heart Association does not recommend drinking alcohol for the purpose of protecting the heart. If you have high blood pressure, liver disease, stomach ulcers, severe acid reflux, sleep apnea, diabetes and if you are pregnant or trying to conceive, please be aware that alcohol is a big threat for you. Everyone else should consult their physician for questions about personal health.
