Know the effects of alcohol on heart health & bull; hello healthy

In addition to smoking which affects the heart, another habit to watch out for is excessive drinking. So, what effect does alcohol have on heart health? Should you quit the habit of drinking alcohol such as smoking? Find out the answer below.

What does alcohol do to the heart?

Heart disease (cardiovascular) is included in the list of diseases that can cause death. This is because heart disease affects the heart and its vessels, which are responsible for pumping and flowing oxygen-rich blood throughout the body.

If these organs are not working properly, symptoms of heart disease will arise, ranging from chest pain to shortness of breath. Without treatment for heart disease, complications such as heart attack and stroke can occur.

The occurrence of this disease is associated with a bad lifestyle, such as eating too often fatty foods, lazy exercise, and smoking. In addition, some health experts also mention that excessive alcohol consumption can also increase the risk.

Cigarettes are completely bad for heart health, but they are a little different from alcohol. This bad effect turns out to appear if alcohol is drunk in excess.

The John Hopkins Medicine website says several studies show drinking red wine in moderation can increase good cholesterol levels because of the antioxidant content in it. That means, there are good effects from alcohol consumption for heart health.

The bad effects of excessive alcohol on heart health

Apart from its positive effects, alcohol also has a negative effect on heart health if drunk in excess. First, alcohol can increase blood pressure to be higher. In people who have hypertension (high blood pressure), a rise in blood pressure can increase the risk of heart failure or stroke.

Second, alcohol can also affect the heart muscles, increasing the risk of cardiomyopathy, which is a heart muscle disorder that makes the heart have to work harder.

Third, drinking excessive alcohol allows excessive calorie intake. This can lead to weight gain or obesity which increases the risk of heart disease later. Finally, alcohol can also trigger an irregular heartbeat.

In people who have heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias), alcohol can worsen the condition they have. The bad effects of alcohol on heart health will appear if you drink more than the daily intake limit, namely 59.1471 ml for beer and 147,868 ml for wine.

Should you stop drinking alcohol to maintain heart health?

For healthy people, drinking alcohol is okay as long as it is according to the rules. Not only according to the daily intake limit, but also when drinking alcohol. You should not drink alcohol when you are stressed, drive a vehicle, use other drugs, or drink at night just before bedtime.

However, if you want to fully adopt a healthy lifestyle, alcohol consumption should be avoided. The reason is, alcohol is the same as cigarettes which can cause addiction.

If taken regularly, there is a chance that you drink more than the recommended limit. For example, when you are stressed and take things out by drinking excessive alcohol.

In addition, you can get the good effects of alcohol on heart health in other healthier ways. You can replace the habit of drinking alcohol by eating fresh fruit or drinking fruit juice without sugar. You can choose fruit juices that are good for the heart because they are rich in antioxidants, such as grapes or pomegranates.

If you intend to limit or quit this habit, try to reduce your intake slowly. If you have trouble getting rid of alcohol, don't hesitate to consult a doctor.

Meanwhile, in patients with heart disease, the habit of drinking alcohol should also be stopped in order to maintain heart health. This is because alcohol is not entirely good for heart health.

Not only its effect on the body, alcohol can also interfere with the treatment of heart disease. Heart disease medications, such as heparin and warfarin, can interact with certain substances, including alcohol.

If a heart disease patient still drinks alcohol, the heart disease medication that is taken cannot work effectively. In the end, the treatment will be in vain. Then the statin drug if taken with alcohol can trigger liver damage.

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