Alcohol: Benefits and Risks

Q: I know that red wine can reduce the risk of heart disease in women by as much as 30 percent. But I have a family history of breast cancer and have heard that alcohol increases the risk for breast cancer. Is the benefit worth the risk for me?

A: Overindulging in alcohol of any kind can lead to high blood pressure, elevate triglycerides, and raise the risk of stroke, heart-rhythm abnormalities, and sudden cardiac death. There are more effective ways to lower your risk of heart disease. If you don’t drink, there is no need to start. If you do drink, moderation is key—one to two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women.

Also consider this: Even if one study found a 30 percent reduction in heart-disease risk, there is no guarantee that risk reduction would apply to anyone not in the study. For more details visit www.americanheart.org.

Jennifer H. Mieres, M.D., is director of nuclear cardiology and associate professor of clinical medicine at New York University. She’s also a spokesperson for the American Heart Association.