Heavy Drinking May Strain the Heart
Study found abusers had 70 percent higher risk of heart failure
TUESDAY, Nov. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Heavy drinking may dramatically increase a person's risk of heart failure, even if they're young and healthy, a new study suggests.
People who abuse alcohol are 70 percent more likely to develop heart failure, according to findings that were to be presented Tuesday at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
The detrimental effects of hard drinking were particularly pronounced in young and middle-aged adults, and people who were otherwise in good health, said lead researcher Dr. Isaac Whitman, an electrophysiologist at the University of California, San Francisco. However, the study did not prove that heavy drinking causes heart failure.
These results suggest that younger adults need to take it easy on the booze, especially if they don't have any risk factors for heart disease, Whitman said.
"In the case of alcohol, I don't think it's prudent to say I can abuse alcohol because I'm young and healthy," he said. "You may be hurting yourself relatively more than your older counterparts. You have more to lose."
Other studies have shown mixed results for heart health when it comes to light or moderate drinking. For example, moderate drinking seems to help lower cholesterol levels, but also increases your risk of irregular heart rate, Whitman said.
The researchers analyzed the records of more than 858,000 California patients treated between 2005 and 2009. Patients ranged in age from the 30s to the 70s.
Doctors had diagnosed about 4 percent of these people as alcohol abusers. Overall, about 12 percent developed congestive heart failure, the investigators found.
Alcohol abuse emerged as a strong predictor of congestive heart failure, even after researchers adjusted for other risk factors, such as age, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and elevated cholesterol levels.
In addition, the study authors found that alcohol abuse was even worse for the hearts of healthy people who don't have other heart risk factors, Whitman said.
"If you are a healthier person, your heart is disproportionately more susceptible to the toxicities of alcohol," he said.
Heavy Drinking May Strain the Heart
Study found abusers had 70 percent higher risk of heart failure
TUESDAY, Nov. 10, 2015 (HealthDay News) -- Heavy drinking may dramatically increase a person's risk of heart failure, even if they're young and healthy, a new study suggests.
People who abuse alcohol are 70 percent more likely to develop heart failure, according to findings that were to be presented Tuesday at the American Heart Association's annual meeting in Orlando, Fla.
The detrimental effects of hard drinking were particularly pronounced in young and middle-aged adults, and people who were otherwise in good health, said lead researcher Dr. Isaac Whitman, an electrophysiologist at the University of California, San Francisco. However, the study did not prove that heavy drinking causes heart failure.
These results suggest that younger adults need to take it easy on the booze, especially if they don't have any risk factors for heart disease, Whitman said.
"In the case of alcohol, I don't think it's prudent to say I can abuse alcohol because I'm young and healthy," he said. "You may be hurting yourself relatively more than your older counterparts. You have more to lose."
Other studies have shown mixed results for heart health when it comes to light or moderate drinking. For example, moderate drinking seems to help lower cholesterol levels, but also increases your risk of irregular heart rate, Whitman said.
The researchers analyzed the records of more than 858,000 California patients treated between 2005 and 2009. Patients ranged in age from the 30s to the 70s.
Doctors had diagnosed about 4 percent of these people as alcohol abusers. Overall, about 12 percent developed congestive heart failure, the investigators found.
Alcohol abuse emerged as a strong predictor of congestive heart failure, even after researchers adjusted for other risk factors, such as age, high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking and elevated cholesterol levels.
In addition, the study authors found that alcohol abuse was even worse for the hearts of healthy people who don't have other heart risk factors, Whitman said.
"If you are a healthier person, your heart is disproportionately more susceptible to the toxicities of alcohol," he said.