Alcohol consumption increases the risk of heart disease, especially in women

Excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk of heart disease, especially among women.

KOMPAS/AGUS SUSANTO

Residents pass by a mural about the dangers of alcohol consumption on Jalan Lontar, Jagakarsa, South Jakarta, mid-December 2020.

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — The results of a recent study show that consuming excessive alcohol can increase the risk of heart disease, especially among women. The public needs to have more awareness regarding this lifestyle and alcohol consumption needs to become part of routine health assessments in the future.

This latest study on the impact of alcohol consumption on the risk of heart disease has not yet been published in a journal. However, these findings are one of the studies that researchers will present at the American College of Cardiology Annual Scientific Sessions in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 6-8 2024.

A study conducted by researchers at the Kaiser Permanente Health Research Institute in the United States showed that women who consume alcohol excessively are at a higher risk of developing coronary heart disease. In fact, the risk of women developing heart disease reaches 68 percent compared to only 33 percent for men.

Also read: Moderate to Heavy Alcohol Consumption Increases the Risk of Stroke

“When it comes to binge drinking, both men and women who consume excessive alcohol have a higher risk of heart disease,” says Jamal Rana, a cardiologist at The Permanente Medical Group who is also the main author the study was quoted from Sciencedaily, Wednesday (3/4/2024).

In this study, researchers focused on adult subjects aged 18-65 years old. This study is one of the largest and most diverse studies that examine the relationship between alcohol and heart disease.

KOMPAS/JB SURATNO

Kompas photo archive showing a tavern specifically selling beer.

The researchers used data from more than 430,000 people who received treatment at the integrated health organization of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. The data included 243,000 men and 189,000 women. The participants had an average age of 44 and were not suffering from heart disease at the beginning of the study.

Researchers analyzed the correlation between participants' alcohol consumption levels in routine assessments from 2014-2015 and the diagnosis of coronary heart disease during the following four years. After that, the researchers adjusted the data by taking into account age, physical activity, smoking habits, and other cardiovascular risk factors.

The researchers were quite surprised by the results of this study. Because the risk of heart disease rarely occurs in young women, and is more often found in cases of women who are older.

Alcohol has been shown to increase blood pressure and cause metabolic changes associated with inflammation and obesity.

"For women, we found consistently higher risks, even without alcohol consumption. I did not expect these results to occur in younger women," said Rana.

According to Rana, alcohol has been proven to increase blood pressure and cause metabolic changes related to inflammation and obesity. He also urges the public to have a greater awareness of this lifestyle and for alcohol consumption to be included in future routine health assessments.

Inhibits pregnancy

In another separate study, researchers also found that excessive alcohol consumption could hinder the fertilization process or women's pregnancy. The study was led by researchers from Louisville University, US, and was published in the journal Human Reproduction in 2021.

KOMPAS/HENDRA SETYAWAN

Alcoholic drinks are sold at a shopping center outlet in the Grogol area, West Jakarta.

This finding was obtained after researchers analyzed women aged 19-41 years with reports for up to 19 menstrual cycles. The women kept a diary reporting how much and what type of alcohol they consumed, and provided urine samples on the first and second days of each menstrual cycle to check for pregnancy.

Also read: Alcohol Consumption During Pregnancy Changes the Baby's Brain Structure

Professor of Epidemiology from Louisville University, Kira Taylor, stated that consuming large amounts of alcohol during each menstrual cycle phase is significantly linked to a decreased likelihood of conception compared to those who do not consume alcohol.

"The results of this study are important because some women who are trying to conceive may believe that consuming alcohol is safe for them. However, this research result should not be interpreted as meaning that drinking alcohol can be used to prevent pregnancy because alcohol is not a contraceptive tool," he said.