| Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a variety | | | | research shows moderate drinking as a way to avoid |
| of health problems. The brain, the muscles and other | | | | strokes, there are still too many negative effects to |
| areas of the body are all at risk when alcohol enters | | | | be ignored. |
| the bloodstream. But what about the most important | | | | High blood pressure is a problem among heavy |
| of all internal organs, the heart? | | | | drinkers. Studies of men and women over the age of |
| Recently, several medical studies have been published | | | | 40 show that drinking 4 or more drinks a day makes |
| stating the positive effects of moderate alcohol | | | | an individual twice as likely to experience |
| consumption on the heart. These reports claim that | | | | hypertension. These studies are in line with other |
| moderate amounts of drinking can help protect | | | | reports that link alcoholism to a variety of severe |
| against heart disease by raising the amount of good | | | | health problems in adults over the age of 40. |
| cholesterol in the body and depleting the plaque that | | | | Another key health concern brought on by heavy |
| builds up around the arteries. | | | | drinking is the lowering of one's blood pressure. |
| While these studies seem positive on the surface, | | | | Alcohol is what is known as a vasodilator, meaning |
| the correlation between alcohol and good health | | | | that it causes many key blood vessels to "relax" |
| remain unclear. In fact, even those doctors involved | | | | when consumed. While on the surface this might not |
| in the studies recommend exercise and proper diet | | | | sound like such a bad thing, the relaxation of the |
| as a better means for caring for the heart (rather | | | | blood vessels means more blood is going to flow |
| than moderate drinking). | | | | through skin and tissues. (Hence the "red faced" |
| So while there a many reputable scientific studies | | | | appearance of someone who is intoxicated.) With a |
| which state that moderate alcohol consumption is | | | | larger percentage of the body getting blood flow, |
| good for the heart, these potential positives are FAR | | | | the drinker now experiences lower blood pressure. |
| outweighed by the negative effects of heavy | | | | This low blood pressure means the heart must work |
| drinking on the heart and the surrounding arteries. | | | | extra-hard to make sure all the vital organs are |
| Medical experts agree that consuming three or more | | | | receiving proper blood flow. And as most people |
| drinks per day can have a potentially devastating | | | | know, increased heart rate over time leads to a |
| effect on the human heart. And over time, heavy | | | | weakening of the heart itself. |
| drinking can cause several very serious heart | | | | In a more extreme situation, heavy drinking can also |
| ailments, including: | | | | cause heart rates to drop - which may precede |
| - Alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Also known as an | | | | coma or death. |
| enlarged and weakened heart brought on by alcohol | | | | The bottom line is this: while some studies have |
| consumption. This is one of the most common | | | | correctly shown moderate drinking to have some |
| heart-related problems associated with drinking. | | | | positive effects on the heart, the potential long-term |
| - Congestive heart failure. Because alcohol makes the | | | | effects are MUCH more damaging. Heart problems |
| heart act in a more "sluggish" manner, those | | | | brought on by alcohol abuse are insidious - the |
| predisposed (genetically) for congestive heart failure | | | | problems build up over time during a life spent |
| are more likely to experience heart problems related | | | | drinking heavily. Unchecked, the problem can get |
| to drinking. | | | | worse and worse until it is all but untreatable. So |
| - Stroke. Alcohol in heavy doses can cause | | | | when you add it all up, the best way to take care of |
| hypertension (see below), atrial fibrillation and | | | | your heart (as it relates to alcohol) is to bypass |
| cardiomyopathy - three of the major causes of | | | | drinking altogether. |
| strokes. While this is another area where some | | | | |