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Alcohol Beneficial In Men With Previous Heart Attack LONDON, ENGLAND -- Dec. 11, 1998 -- In this week's issue of The Lancet, Dr. J. Michael Gaziano and colleagues from Massachusetts report that the consumption of small to moderate amounts of alcohol lowers the risk of death in men who have previously had a myocardial infarction. Many studies have shown that light to moderate alcohol intake lowers the risk of death in human beings. There is a heightened risk in heavy drinkers, however, because of increases in accidents, liver disease and certain cancers. The benefit of light to moderate drinking seems to be mediated largely by a decrease in the risk of coronary mortality. Patients with a history of myocardial infarction are at high risk of mortality from reinfarction and sudden death and are thus more likely to benefit from light to moderate alcohol intake. From information on 90,150 men from the United States, Dr. Gaziano and colleagues analysed data on 5,358 of these men who reported a history of myocardial infarction and who provided details of alcohol intake. They compared the results of these 5,358 with those of the remaining 84,792 men who had no history of myocardial infarction or other major illnesses. Alcohol consumption was estimated by a questionnaire. During a mean follow-up period of five years, 920 of the 5,358 men died. The investigators found that moderate alcohol intake was associated with significant decreases in mortality from both cardiovascular and non-cardiovascular causes. "[T]he maximum potential benefit of alcohol intake may be reached by drinking two to six drinks per week," the researchers write. However, they do not recommend alcohol prescription as a general measure for prevention of coronary artery disease. "Specific recommendations should be tailored to individuals, taking into account the potential risks of alcohol intake relative to the likely benefits for cardiovascular mortality," they write. Related Links: The Lancet E-mail this page to a friend or colleague! To print, use this version