Cardiomyopathy and other negative effects that alcohol has on your heart

Alcohol consumption can affect your heart such as raising your blood pressure, increasing the risk of arrhythmia, heart attack and stroke among other negative effects

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You have probably read that consuming a little alcohol could favor your heart. However, the American Heart Association (AHA) notes that no research has shown a cause-and-effect link between alcohol consumption and better heart health.

The best known positive health effect of alcohol is a small increase in HDL or good cholesterol, but the risks of negative effects on the heart outweigh the possible benefits.

Negative effects of alcohol consumption

1 . Arrhythmia

A study published in the European Heart Journal reveals that from low levels of alcohol consumption , as a habitual intake of 1 or 2 alcoholic drinks a day is associated with a increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared to adults who do not consume alcohol.

Atrial fibrillation is an arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat which can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications.

two. Increased blood pressure

Drinking too much alcohol can raise your blood pressure. Mayo Clinic notes that consuming more than three drinks at a time can temporarily raise your blood pressure , but compulsive use repeatedly may cause long-term increases.

3. Heart attack and stroke.

Alcohol.org notes that drinking more than three servings of alcohol per day leads to a level of toxic substances in the blood that directly increases the risk of heart attack.

The AHA explains that high alcohol consumption can increase triglyceride levels that Combined with cholesterol, they can accumulate in the arterial walls and increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

4. Cardiomyopathy

Johns Hopkins Medicine shares that heavy drinking can also contribute to cardiomyopathy, a disorder that affects the heart muscle, in most cases it enlarges, becomes becomes thicker or stiffer.

The AHA notes that as cardiomyopathy worsens, the heart weakens and becomes less able to pump blood throughout the body and unable to maintain a normal electrical rhythm.

High alcohol consumption can also prematurely age the arteries over time, especially in men.

What about wine

All types of alcoholic beverages, including red and white wine, can affect your health. La Asocia American Heart Report indicates that components of red wine, such as flavonoids and other antioxidants, which can potentially reduce the risk of heart disease, also can be found in other foods such as grapes, red grape juice or blueberries.

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