Less than 105 Grams of Alcohol per week to Reduce Heart Attack Risks

A new study reveals that Drinking almost a pint every day of the week may help beat back the deadly effects of cardiovascular disease. Experts at University College London say drinking up to 105 grams of alcohol per week is linked with a decreased risk of Heart Attack, stroke, angina, or death among those with cardiovascular disease.

This is equivalent to 13 UK units of alcohol, which is less than six pints of medium-strength beer or just over a bottle of wine. The study authors stressed that they’re not advising people with CVD conditions to start boozing if they don’t already.

Chengyi Ding, the study author, said that the findings suggest that people with cardiovascular disease may not need to stop drinking to prevent additional Heart Attack, strokes, or angina, but they must lower their weekly alcohol intake. Alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of developing other illnesses. Those with CVD who do not drink should not be encouraged to take up drinking.The authors estimated the risk of Heart Attack, stroke, angina, and death for 48,423 adults with CVD, using data obtained from the UK Biobank, the Health Survey for England, the Scottish Health Survey, and from 12 previous studies.

Participants reported their average alcohol consumption. Data on subsequent Heart Attack, strokes, angina, or death over up to 20 years was obtained from health, hospital admission, and death registry records.  Among the people with cardiovascular problems, those who drank up to 15 grams of alcohol per day, equivalent to less than two UK units, had a lower risk of recurrent Heart Attack, stroke, angina or death, compared to those who did not drink alcohol.