Research done shows that senior citizens' hearts change with the consumption of alcohol, and that even moderate drinking can lead to heart damage. Women are at a greater risk for alcohol-related damage than men, too. TIME reports:
For decades, there’s been a steady line of literature welcomed by anyone who enjoys a regular drink or two: that moderate drinking can actually protect you from having a heart attack by keeping your vessels clear and relatively plaque-free. But there’s another set of data that shows too much alcohol can start to poison the heart. So where does the line between good-for-you and bad-for-you lie?
Researchers led by Dr. Scott Solomon, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and director of non-invasive cardiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and his colleagues provide some clues Tuesday in their latest report in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Imaging. The scientists combed through data collected from 4,466 elderly people about their alcohol consumption. They also agreed to echocardiograms of their hearts. Solomon wanted to see if there were any changes in the structure of the heart that had anything to do with how much the volunteers reported they drank each week.
The not-so-good news: The more the participants drank, the more likely they showed abnormal changes in their heart structure and function. In men, the changes started accumulating after more than two drinks per day, or 14 or more drinks a week. In these men, the pumping chambers of their hearts increased slightly compared to those in non drinkers, a sign that the heart had to work harder to pump the same amount of blood, which can cause it enlarge and weaken. In women, these changes appeared when women drank much less, just above the one drink a day. In addition, among the women who imbibed more than a drink a day, the scientists found slight drops in heart function compared to women who drank less.
"In an elderly population, increasing alcohol intake is associated with subtle alterations in heart structure and function, with women appearing more susceptible than men to the toxic effects of alcohol," said lead researcher Dr. Alexandra Goncalves. She is a postdoctoral research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston.
The study involved more than 4,400 adults, average age 76. The investigators found that women who drank even moderately -- one drink daily -- experienced a small reduction in heart function.
Among men, consuming more than 14 drinks a week -- considered heavy drinking -- was linked to enlargement of the heart's left ventricle wall, the researchers said.
However, the association seen in the study does not prove a cause-and-effect link.
And one heart expert questioned the findings, given that other research has touted the benefits of some alcohol consumption for adults.
"While heavy consumption of alcohol can result in heart disease and heart failure, a number of studies have suggested that light to moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a lower risk of heart attacks and strokes compared to non-drinkers," said Dr. Gregg Fonarow, a professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles.
