Cited by 406Alcohol Consumption and Health EffectsSubstance Abuse Treatment and OutcomesCoffee research and impacts

Alcohol and Cardiovascular Health: The Dose Makes the Poison…or the Remedy

O’Keefe, James H., Bhatti, Salman K., Bajwa, Ata, DiNicolantonio, James J., Lavie, Carl J.·2014·Mayo Clinic Proceedings

Abstract

Habitual light to moderate alcohol intake (up to 1 drink per day for women and 1 or 2 drinks per day for men) is associated with decreased risks for total mortality, coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus, congestive heart failure, and stroke. However, higher levels of alcohol consumption are associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Indeed, behind only smoking and obesity, excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading cause of premature death in the United States. Heavy alcohol use (1) is one of the most common causes of reversible hypertension, (2) accounts for about one-third of all cases of nonischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, (3) is a frequent cause of atrial fibrillation, and (4) markedly increases risks of stroke-both ischemic and hemorrhagic. The risk-to-benefit ratio of drinking appears higher in younger individuals, who also have higher rates of excessive or binge drinking and more frequently have adverse consequences of acute intoxication (for example, accidents, violence, and social strife). In fact, among males aged 15 to 59 years, alcohol abuse is the leading risk factor for premature death. Of the various drinking patterns, daily low- to moderate-dose alcohol intake, ideally red wine before or during the evening meal, is associated with the strongest reduction in adverse cardiovascular outcomes. Health care professionals should not recommend alcohol to nondrinkers because of the paucity of randomized outcome data and the potential for problem drinking even among individuals at apparently low risk. The findings in this review were based on a literature search of PubMed for the 15-year period 1997 through 2012 using the search terms alcohol, ethanol, cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, heart failure, hypertension, stroke, and mortality. Studies were considered if they were deemed to be of high quality, objective, and methodologically sound.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.mayocp.2013.11.005

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Authors
O’Keefe, J. H., Bhatti, S. K., Bajwa, A., DiNicolantonio, J. J., & Lavie, C. J.
Affiliations
  • Saint Luke's Hospital (US)
  • The University of Queensland (AU)
Corresponding author
O’Keefe, James H.
Venue
Mayo Clinic Proceedings
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2014-03
Volume
89
Issue
3
Pages
382-393
ISSN
0025-6196 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2042273266
Cited by
406
References
96
Citations by year
2026: 20 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 27 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 33 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 39 · 2017: 35 · 2016: 40 · 2015: 42 · 2014: 13
FWCI
6.12
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Mayo Clinic Proceedings (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Epidemiology › Substance Abuse Treatment and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Coffee research and impacts
Keywords
alcohol consumption, cardiovascular health, moderate drinking, heavy drinking, binge drinking, coronary artery disease, stroke, hypertension, congestive heart failure, diabetes mellitus, premature mortality, red wine, atrial fibrillation, non-ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy, risk-benefit ratio
MeSH terms
Alcohol Drinking, Ethanol, Alcoholic Beverages, Cardiotonic Agents, Cardiovascular Diseases, Dose-Response Relationship, Drug, Humans, Primary Prevention, Risk Factors, United States, Health Behavior, Secondary Prevention

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