Although some research studies have promoted the health benefits of drinking red wine, recent research studies (some previously stated in this blog site) have determined that this no longer the case.
This latest study from Sweden concluded that light to moderate consumption of alcohol is associated with an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF). AF is an abnormally fast heartbeat that can result in stroke and heart failure.
The study published in the 2014 July edition of the Journal of the American College of Cardiology analyzed data from more than 79,000 Swedish adults, ages 45 to 83, who provided information about their drinking levels and were followed for up to 12 years. During this period, there were more than 7,200 cases of atrial fibrillation among the participants.
The data revealed that individuals who drank between 15 and 21 drinks per week and those who drank more than 21 drinks in a week showed an increased risk of AF of 14% and 39% respectively compared to non-drinkers. Binge drinking, defined as having five or more drinks on any one occasion, was associated with a 13% higher risk of developing AF regardless of how many drinks were consumed in the week.
The researchers also analyzed data from six prior studies that included a total of more than 12,500 cases of atrial fibrillation. This analysis found that each additional drink per day of any type of alcohol boosted the risk of irregular heartbeat by 8 percent.
The data from both trials clearly defined that there is a link between drinking levels and risk for atrial fibrillation but they could not determine cause-and-effect.
One can conclude that this is further evidence that ancient medicine practices which are supported by wisdom and experience acquired over centuries should not be ignored but instead be incorporated in general prescriptive lifestyle advice for modern times.