Alcohol Abuse Elevates Heart Risks

Alcohol abuse is defined as the consumption of alcoholic beverages to excess, either on individual occasions or as a regular practice. An analysis of medical records on close to 15 million Californians revealed that alcohol abusers are twice as likely to have atrial fibrillation, 1.4 times more likely to have a heart attack, and 2.3 times more likely to have congestive heart failure than individuals without history of alcohol abuse. Lead researcher Dr. Gregory Marcus notes, “We were somewhat surprised to find those diagnosed with some form of alcohol abuse were at significantly higher risk of a heart attack… We hope this data will temper the enthusiasm for drinking in excess and will avoid any justification for excessive drinking because people think it will be good for their heart. These data pretty clearly prove the opposite.” Journal of the American College of Cardiology, January 2017