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Alcohol May Benefit Heart Attack Patients
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Moderate drinking has been linked with a lower risk of a heart attack. Two new studies show that a drink a day may promote survival in patients after a heart attack, as well as help the elderly avoid heart failure. The researchers of both reports found that any type of alcohol had potentially healthy effects when consumed in moderation. Alcohol has been shown to raise HDL (ˇ°goodˇ±) cholesterol and prevent blood clots from forming.
One study of more than 1,900 adults who had been hospitalized for heart attack found that patients who consumed seven drinks a week in the year before their heart attack had a 32% lower risk of dying compared with teetotalers. And those who consumed less than seven drinks a week lowered their risk of dying by 21% over nearly 4 years, compared with patients who abstained from drinking. The findings suggest that alcohol consumption is probably safe after a heart attack for moderate drinkers. Patients who abstain from alcohol may need more aggressive treatment with drugs such as aspirin, beta-blockers, and cholesterol-lowering medications.
Another study found that elderly people who drank at least 1.5 drinks per day had a risk of heart failure 47% lower than abstainers, regardless of age, race, blood pressure, history of diabetes, smoking, and other factors. The study included 2,200 adults averaging 74 years of age.
SOURCE: Journal of the American Medical Association 2001;285:1965-1977.
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