Heavy alcohol use has very negative impact on the heart and might potentially lead to fatality, recent study shows
Nearly 30 million Britons consume alcohol, and more than a quarter of them binge drink. Government rules on how much you should drink are in place due to the widespread knowledge of alcohol’s adverse health effects. A specialist described three ways in which it can negatively affect the heart.
Doctor Oliver Guttmann from The Wellington Hospital in London discussed how alcohol can cause cardiovascular disease, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias, among other complications.
Speaking with Express.co.uk, he added, “Over time, alcohol usage can begin to affect your physical and mental health; these consequences may be more severe and evident if you drink frequently.”
“Regularly consuming more than 14 units of alcohol each week poses a significant health risk.”
There is a “quite apparent” correlation between excessive alcohol use and high blood pressure.
Dr. Guttmann stated, “Over time, high blood pressure (hypertension) strains the heart muscle and can progress to cardiovascular disease (CVD), which raises the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Additionally, it weakens the heart’s muscles, which might impact the lungs, liver, brain, and other body systems.
Long-term excessive alcohol use can also increase the heart rate and result in an irregular pulse.
Additionally, excessive alcohol consumption can induce other major health issues, such as cardiomyopathy.
“Cardiomyopathy is an umbrella word describing illnesses of the heart muscle in which the chamber walls have become stretched, thickened, or rigid,” he explained.
This impacts the ability of the heart to pump blood throughout the body.
Dr. Guttmann noted, “Excessive alcohol consumption may also result in arrhythmias. A cardiac arrhythmia is an irregular heart rhythm.
“The heartbeat may be excessively slow, too fast, or irregular. These anomalies might range from a small annoyance or discomfort to a potentially catastrophic condition.
“Arrhythmias can cause damage to the heart, brain, and other organs if left untreated. This can result in potentially fatal stroke, heart failure, or cardiac arrest.”
How to reduce your danger
The government recommends regular consumption of no more than 14 units of alcohol each week.
14 units is similar to around six medium (175ml) glasses of wine or six pints of beer with a four percent alcohol content.
“It is vital to spread out your drinking over three or more days if you consistently consume 14 units of alcohol each week,” advised Dr. Guttmann.
“However, it is crucial to highlight that there is no’safe level’ of drinking, and it is essential to reduce your alcohol consumption in order to reduce your chance of causing harm to your health.”
Coronary heart disease is one of the major cardiovascular conditions.
This can result in:
Angina is chest pain resulting from inadequate blood supply to the heart muscle.
Heart attacks – in which the blood supply to the heart muscle is abruptly obstructed –
Heart failure — the inability of the heart to adequately pump blood throughout the body.
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