By Thomas S. May
HELSINKI, FINLAND -- June 11, 2007 -- Although moderate alcohol consumption is associated with lower incidence and prevalence of cardiovascular disease (CVD), it does not reduce the risks for two common forms of CVD: peripheral artery disease (PAD) and stroke, according to research presented here at the 76th Congress of the European Atherosclerosis Society (EAS).
The researchers investigated the relationship between alcohol consumption and the cross-sectional prevalence of various forms of CVD, such as coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and PAD, as well as the overall prevalence of CVD in a Mediterranean cohort. They also sought to identify the various mechanisms that may be mediating the relationship between alcohol consumption and CVD.
The investigators, led by Vasilios Athyros, MD, professor, Department of Internal Medicine, Aristotelian University, Thessaloniki, Greece, performed a cross-sectional analysis of a representative sample of Greek adults (n=4,153). Subjects were classified as non- or mild- drinkers (0-19 grams of ethanol/day), moderate drinkers (20-45 grams of ethanol/day), or heavy drinkers (>45 grams of ethanol/day). The prevalence of stroke, CHD, PAD, as well as the metabolic syndrome (MetS), type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM), and overall cardiovascular disease (CVD) was calculated in each of the above subgroups.
The researchers found that moderate alcohol consumption had a beneficial effect on overall CVD, while heavy drinking was highly related to an increased prevalence of all six disease states studied. Moderate alcohol use was also associated with a lower prevalence of MetS, DM and CHD, but not of stroke or PAD, compared with no alcohol use.
The beneficial effects of moderate alcohol intake on the prevalence of CHD and MetS might, in part, be explained by the beneficial (linear) effect on high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, the researchers suggested. The increase in HDL cholesterol, however, is probably counteracted by an increase in high blood pressure in moderate and heavy alcohol users, explaining the lack of a beneficial effect on stroke risk.
In view of the above, "advice on alcohol consumption should probably be aimed at reducing heavy drinking," Dr. Athyros suggested.
[Presentation title: Association of Drinking Pattern with the Prevalence of Metabolic Syndrome, Diabetes, Coronary Heart Disease, Stroke and Peripheral Arterial Disease. Abstract P609]
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