Alcohol and heart failure is a concern to many people. Is there a link between the two? If so, what is it? Is it true that red wine reduces risk the odds of getting the disease? Should I stop drinking to prevent heart failure?

Study

A large study confirmed the typical U-shaped link between drinking and heart failure. That is, moderate drinking is linked with lower heart failure, That’s in comparison with either abstaining from alcohol or drinking it heavily.

The study was led by Dr. Scott Solomon of Harvard. His team analyzed data from 14,629 people aged 45 to 64. Researchers interviewed them about their drinking over a two-year period. The researchers collected the same data at each of three more visits. They did this at three-year intervals. Thus, they followed the subjects for 24-25 years.

During the follow-up period 2,508 subjects had heart failure. The lowest rate of heart failure was among those who had up to seven drinks per week. This was followed by those having seven to fourteen drinks per week. Those who had over 14 drinks per week had a heart failure rate nearing that of the abstainers. “No level of alcohol intake was associated with a higher risk of heart failure” than that of abstainers.

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