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Taking up drinking in middle age cuts heart disease risk but increases chances of dying from other causes
December 17, 2001Taking up regular drinking in middle age might cut the risk of heart disease, finds research in Heart. But the catch is, it increases the risk of dying from something else.
The researchers studied 7735 men from general practices in 24 British towns. The men were screened for heart disease between 1978 and 1980 when they were aged between 40 and 59. And they were asked about lifestyle, including smoking and drinking, and their medical history. Five years later, 7157 of them completed questionnaires on lifestyle factors, including how much they drank regularly. They were then monitored for over 16 years.
More than 1600 men died during the monitoring period, and there were 874 major coronary heart disease "events" among the 6503 men who had not had heart disease at the initial screen.
Almost 90 per cent of the new regular drinkers drank between one and 15 units of alcohol weekly - classified as light drinking. And non-drinkers and occasional drinkers who took up regular drinking in middle age were less likely to have a heart attack or other serious non-fatal consequences of coronary heart disease than men who remained teetotal or who only drank occasionally.
But they were no less likely to die of heart or cardiovascular disease, and were actually 40 per cent more likely to die of other causes, such as cancer.
And men who already had heart disease at the initial screen, and who started to drink regularly in middle age, fared no better than occasional drinkers, in terms of overall death rate.
The popular wisdom is that light drinking is advisable for people wishing to reduce their risk of coronary heart disease, say the authors. But they conclude: "There is little evidence that taking up regular drinking in later life confers benefit overall, and indeed it may increase the risk of cancer and other non-cardiovascular deaths."
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Almost 90 per cent of the new regular drinkers drank between one and 15 units of alcohol weekly - classified as light drinking. And non-drinkers and occasional drinkers who took up regular drinking in middle age were less likely to have a heart attack or other serious non-fatal consequences of coronary heart disease than men who remained teetotal or who only drank occasionally.
But they were no less likely to die of heart or cardiovascular disease, and were actually 40 per cent more likely to die of other causes, such as cancer.
And men who already had heart disease at the initial screen, and who started to drink regularly in middle age, fared no better than occasional drinkers, in terms of overall death rate.
The popular wisdom is that light drinking is advisable for people wishing to reduce their risk of coronary heart disease, say the authors. But they conclude: "There is little evidence that taking up regular drinking in later life confers benefit overall, and indeed it may increase the risk of cancer and other non-cardiovascular deaths."
British Medical Journal (BMJ)
Heart Disease Current Events and Heart Disease News RSSMultiple health concerns surface as winter, vitamin D deficiences arrive
A string of recent discoveries about the multiple health benefits of vitamin D has renewed interest in this multi-purpose nutrient, increased awareness of the huge numbers of people who are deficient in it, spurred research and even led to an appreciation of it as "nature's antibiotic."
Carvedilol shown to have unique characteristics among beta blockers
In a new study, researchers report that a class of heart medications called beta-blockers can have a helpful, or harmful, effect on the heart, depending on their molecular activity.
ESC to give talks on Diabetes in three cities in China
As a result of successful events organised last year, a second Joint Scientific Forum, organised by the European Society of Cardiology (ESC) and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD), two of the most respected professional medical organisations in Europe, will be held from 27-29 November at three venues across China - Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou.
Saving the single cysteine: new antioxidant system found
We've all read studies about the health benefits of having a life partner. The same thing is true at the molecular level, where amino acids known as cysteines are much more vulnerable to damage when single than when paired up with other cysteines.
Drug for erectile dysfunction improves heart function in young heart-disease patients
Heart function significantly improved in children and young adults with single-ventricle congenital heart disease who have had the Fontan operation following treatment with sildenafil, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction and pulmonary hypertension, say researchers from The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.
Study raises concerns about outdoor second-hand smoke
Indoor smoking bans have forced smokers at bars and restaurants onto outdoor patios, but a new University of Georgia study in collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests that these outdoor smoking areas might be creating a new health hazard.
Night Beat, Overtime and a Disrupted Sleep Pattern Can Harm Officers' Health
A police officer who works the night shift, typically from 8 p.m. to 4 a.m., already is at a disadvantage when it comes to getting a good "night's" sleep.
Your Own Stem Cells Can Treat Heart Disease
The largest national stem cell study for heart disease showed the first evidence that transplanting a potent form of adult stem cells into the heart muscle of subjects with severe angina results in less pain and an improved ability to walk. The transplant subjects also experienced fewer deaths than those who didn't receive stem cells.
Vitamin B niacin offers no extra benefit to statin therapy in seniors already diagnosed with CAD
The routine prescription of extended-release niacin, a B vitamin (1,500 milligrams daily), in combination with traditional cholesterol-lowering therapy offers no extra benefit in correcting arterial narrowing and diminishing plaque buildup in seniors who already have coronary artery disease, a new vascular imaging study from Johns Hopkins experts shows.
Heart and bone damage from low vitamin D tied to declines in sex hormones
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are reporting what is believed to be the first conclusive evidence in men that the long-term ill effects of vitamin D deficiency are amplified by lower levels of the key sex hormone estrogen, but not testosterone.
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