Centenarian reveals SURPRISE drink that helps her live longer
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According to a new study, people living with heart disease could benefit from drinking a small amount of alcohol each day. Findings show some alcohols, notably wine, contain components linked to a lower risk of having another heart attack, stroke, angina, or even an early death, as they may prevent arterial clogging.
Alcohol researcher Emmanuela Gakidou, senior director or organisation development and training at the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation at the University of Washington, explained: “This study applies to people who have already had something happen that relates to cardiovascular health.
“If you continue to drink after you’ve had a cardiac event, it’s not that bad for you, as long as you keep consumption low.”
The study found drinking up to 105 grams of alcohol each week appeared to protect people who had already suffered a heart problem.
That equates to a bottle of wine or a six-pack of medium strength beer, which is less than the recommended drinking limit set by the World Health Organisation (WHO) for men and women; 166 grams per week.
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The study, published in the journal BMC Medicine, found that the most benefits came from drinking half the amount of alcohol recommended by the WHO.
Chengyi Ding, postdoctoral student at University College London and co-author of the study, said: “Our findings suggest that people with cardiovascular disease may not need to stop drinking in order to prevent additional heart attacks, strokes, or angina, but they may wish to consider lowering their weekly alcohol intake.”
For the study, researchers collected data from over 14,000 people who had already suffered a heart attack, stroke, or angina. The participants’ health was monitored over the course of 20 years.
Results from an additional 12 studies were combined with the analysis to make up a total sample of over 48,000 people.
The study found the lowest risk of a second cardiovascular event occurred when people with existing heart conditions drank as little as 42 to 56 grams per week.
People who drank eight grams of alcohol a day had a 27 percent lower risk of a second cardiovascular event compared with people with heart disease that did not drink.
However, when the quantity of alcohol was reduced to six grams a day, the benefit almost doubled; participants were at 50 percent lower risk of having another heart attack, stroke or angina compared with those who did not drink.
Cardiovascular disease, a general term for conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels, is usually associated with a build-up of fatty deposits inside the arteries and an increased risk of blood clots.
It is one of the main causes of death and disability in the UK, but it can often largely be prevented by leading a healthy lifestyle.
A heart attack occurs when the supply of blood to the heart is suddenly blocked, usually due to a blood clot.
A stroke happens when the blood supply to part of the brain is cut off.
An angina is a pain in the chest caused by reduced blood flow to the heart muscles. Although it’s not usually life threatening, it’s a warning sign that you could be at risk of a heart attack or stroke.
According to the NHS, some causes of cardiovascular disease include:
High blood pressure: If your blood pressure is too high, it can damage blood vessels.
Smoking: the harmful substances in tobacco can damage and narrow the blood vessels.
High cholesterol: If you have high cholesterol, it can cause your blood vessels to narrow and increase your risk of developing a blood clot.
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