Alcohol and Heart Disease

Rejekine. The benefits and dangers of alcohol to health is often misunderstood by the common people in general. Actually, if consumed in excessive amounts does not (sufficiently less than half a glass per day), alcohol can reduce the risk of heart disease. This has been proven by the two studies from Canadian researchers, that consuming one or two glasses of alcohol can prevent heart disease and increase levels of good cholesterol (HDL).

A team of researchers from the University of Calgary review of 84 studies that examined alcohol consumption and heart disease. They concluded that people who drink moderate amounts of alcohol have a 14 to 25 percent less likely to develop heart disease than those who did not drink alcohol.

Another team of researchers reviewing 63 studies on the same thing and found that by consuming alcohol in moderation (which the researchers defined as one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men) can raise levels of good cholesterol (HDL) significantly. HDL has a protective effect against heart disease.

The findings, published online February 22 in the BMJ this has added to evidence from previous studies that found that moderate alcohol consumption has been linked with a reduced risk of heart disease.

One expert said the study did look like supporting the existence of support for taking little alcohol to help the heart. "In dealing with lifestyle issues, pengonsumsian alcohol in moderation can be recommended as part of heart-healthy lifestyle," said Dr. Suzanne Steinbaum, a cardiologist at Lenox Hill Hospital, New York.

The authors in both studies who is also from the University of Calgary have found that the content of the alcohol that has health benefits and not of the type of alcoholic beverage (wine, beer, etc.).

However, the authors noted in the first study, that although the rules of drinking alcohol in moderation appears to improve heart health, the message needs to be balanced with the warning that drinking too much alcohol is not good for health.

Now the discussion about the impact of alcohol on heart disease should focus on how to integrate evidence into existing clinical practice and health messages, so that ordinary people are not to be misconstrued