"Women appear more susceptible than men to the cardiotoxic effects of alcohol which might potentially contribute to a higher risk of cardiomyopathy, for any given level of alcohol intake," said Scott Solomon, professor of medicine at the Harvard Medical School. In cardiomyopathy, the heart muscle becomes larger, thicker, more rigid or is replaced by scar tissue.
"In an elderly population, increasing alcohol intake is associated with subtle alterations in heart structure and function, with women appearing more susceptible than men to the toxic effects of alcohol," said lead researcher Dr. Alexandra Goncalves, who is a postdoctoral research fellow at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School in Boston
The study correlated weekly alcohol consumption among 4,466 people (with an average age of 76) to the size, structure and motion of various parts of the heart. The more people drank, the greater the subtle changes to the heart's structure and function. Moderate drinking is generally defined as two drinks a day (beer, wine or liquor) for men and one drink a day for women.
"In spite of potential benefits of low alcohol intake, our findings highlight the possible hazards to cardiac function by increased amounts of alcohol consumption in the elderly, particularly among women," said Alexandra Goncalves. This reinforces recommendations that those who drink should not overindulge, she added.
The American Heart Association guidelines and 2010 US dietary guidelines recommend limiting alcohol intake to up to one drink a day for women and up to two for men. Previous research has shown that light to moderate drinking may protect against some cardiovascular disease, while heavy drinking has been linked with a higher risk for cardiomyopathy.
With Inputs from IANS
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