What Are The Long Term Effects Of Alcohol On The Cardiovascular System?

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What Are The Long Term Effects Of Alcohol On The Cardiovascular System
Abstract – Alcohol can be beneficial or harmful to the cardiovascular system, depending on the amount consumed and the characteristics of the consumer. Of the numerous cellular and molecular mechanisms that are thought to explain the beneficial effects of moderate drinking, this article discusses four, involving (1) high density lipoproteins, (2) cellular signaling, (3) platelet function in blood clot formation, and (4) stimulation of blood clot dissolution.

Although light-to-moderate drinking can protect against coronary artery disease, heavy alcohol consumption can damage the cardiovascular system, resulting in maladies such as heart muscle disorders, irregular heart rhythms, high blood pressure, and strokes. This article summarizes representative epidemiological and animal studies on these cardiovascular consequences of chronic heavy alcohol consumption and reviews mechanisms that have been suggested to explain alcohol’s effects.

THIS Is How Alcohol Affects The Heart (SCIENCE EXPLAINED)

Keywords: chronic AODE (alcohol and other drug effects), molecular interaction, biochemical mechanism, lipoproteins, platelets, blood coagulation, moderate AOD use, heavy AOD use, therapeutic drug effect, AODR (alcohol and other drug related) disorder, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, cardiac arrhythmia, hypertensive disorder, stroke, literature review, cell signaling Alcoholic beverages have been used—and abused—since the dawn of history.

Although most people who choose to drink can limit their intake to a level that produces no harm to their health or to society, about 34 percent of the population drinks approximately 62 percent of all alcoholic beverages consumed. This chronic heavy drinking 1 is a significant factor in the development of alcohol dependence, or alcoholism, 2 and is associated with serious adverse health consequences, including negative effects on the cardiovascular system, such as heart muscle disorders (i.e., cardiomyopathy), heartbeat rhythm irregularities (i.e., arrhythmias), high blood pressure (i.e., hypertension), and strokes.

In contrast, moderate drinking 3 has been known since ancient times to promote conviviality and decrease tension, anxiety, and self-consciousness; the possible physical health benefits of moderate drinking were noted long ago as well.4 In modern times, numerous epidemiological studies associate moderate alcohol consumption with protective health benefits (see table ), including a lower risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) (see, for example, Boffetta and Garfinkel 1990 ).

  • In the United States, where CAD accounts for about 450,000 deaths every year, some people advocate moderate drinking to reduce the risk of death from CAD.
  • Moderate drinking is not risk free, however (see, for example, Criqui 1996 ), and careful analysis of the tradeoffs between its benefits and risks should be considered on an individual basis and across the life span ( Dufour 1996 ; Zakhari and Wassef 1996 ).

This article first focuses on advances from biochemical research that have improved our understanding of alcohol’s beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. Building on this foundation, the article next examines several specific consequences of long-term heavy alcohol consumption on the cardiovascular system.

How does alcohol affect the cardiovascular system long term?

Long term effects of high blood pressure – Over time, high blood pressure puts strain on the heart and can increase the build-up of fatty material (plaque) in blood vessels.4 This can lead to blocked arteries that supply blood to the heart, brain and other vital organs, causing heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

  1. The most common type of heart disease is coronary artery disease.
  2. This is when the arteries supplying the heart with blood become narrowed and the heart can’t pump like it should.
  3. This can lead to heart attack.
  4. A heart attack happens when the flow of blood to the heart muscle suddenly becomes blocked and the heart can’t get oxygen.

If blood flow isn’t restored quickly, the section of heart muscle begins to die. High blood pressure is a major risk factor for heart attack. Atrial fibrillation is an irregular and rapid heartbeat that can lead to blood clots in the heart. This increases the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart problems.

  • Over the long term, it has been shown that just one alcoholic drink per day is linked to higher risk of developing an irregular heartbeat compared to those who don’t drink alcohol.
  • Heavy drinking on a single occasion can also trigger an irregular heartbeat.
  • This is often known as ‘holiday heart’ since there are usually more cases around holidays when people drink more alcohol.

Over the long term, alcohol use can cause the heart to stretch and enlarge. As the muscles stretch more over time, they are weakened, like a rubber band when stretched too much. This stops the heart from pumping as well as it should and increases the risk of heart failure.

  • Blocked artery (ischaemic stroke) – where an artery in the brain gets blocked.
  • Bleeding in the brain (haemorrhagic stroke) – where a blood vessel in the brain breaks.

High blood pressure is a major risk factor for stroke.

Is heart damage from alcohol permanent?

When should I go to ER? – Your healthcare provider is the best person to tell you what symptoms mean you need urgent medical care. However, in general, you should go to the emergency room if you have the following symptoms:

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Chest pain (angina), Heart palpitations, Passing out, or nearly passing out repeatedly,

A note from Cleveland Clinic Alcohol-induced cardiomyopathy is a condition that can have major impacts on your life over time. While many people will recover from this condition if they abstain from alcohol, others will have symptoms and related problems for the rest of their life.

What are the cardiovascular effects of heavy drinking?

How does alcohol cause high blood pressure? – It can be a combination of factors, including: 4

  1. Alcohol increases hormones that cause arteries to tighten and constrict. This can change the amount of force used to pump blood around the body.
  2. Alcohol affects the nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) which helps regulate blood pressure.
  3. Alcohol impacts receptors in blood vessels near the heart that help maintain blood pressure.
  4. Alcohol increases stress hormones like cortisol which can increase heart rate and blood pressure.
  5. Regular alcohol use often leads to increased body weight (a major risk factor for high blood pressure).

Is heart damage from alcohol reversible?

Cardiovascular Issues and Alcoholism – The American Heart Association (AHA) lists numerous cardiovascular issues associated with alcohol use and abuse. In addition, there is conflicting research about potential benefits associated with mild to moderate alcohol use.

  1. AHA strongly suggests that despite some of these research findings, individuals should not begin drinking alcohol in an attempt to improve their cardiovascular health, and individuals with cardiovascular issues should stop drinking alcohol altogether.
  2. Some of the potential cardiovascular issues associated with using alcohol include: The same factors associated with recovery from neurological damage as a result of abstaining from alcohol apply to recovery from cardiovascular issues when one chooses to abstain from alcohol.

However, in most cases, the full extent of the damage produced by chronic and heavy alcohol use on the cardiovascular system is not fully resolved. Typically, any reversal of damage occurs rapidly in the first months to the first year of abstinence and then slows down following that.

What are the major long-term effects of alcohol?

Long-Term Health Risks – Over time, excessive alcohol use can lead to the development of chronic diseases and other serious problems including:

  • High blood pressure, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and digestive problems.6,16
  • of the breast, mouth, throat, esophagus, voice box, liver, colon, and rectum.6,17
  • Weakening of the immune system, increasing the chances of getting sick.6,16
  • Learning and memory problems, including dementia and poor school performance.6,18
  • Mental health problems, including depression and anxiety.6,19
  • Social problems, including family problems, job-related problems, and unemployment.6,20,21
  • Alcohol use disorders, or alcohol dependence.5

By not drinking too much, you can reduce the risk of these short- and long-term health risks.

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  2. Esser MB, Leung G, Sherk A, Bohm MB, Liu Y, Lu H, Naimi TS., JAMA Netw Open 2022;5:e2239485.
  3. Sacks JJ, Gonzales KR, Bouchery EE, Tomedi LE, Brewer RD., Am J Prev Med 2015; 49(5):e73–e79.
  4. U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.9th Edition, Washington, DC; 2020.
  5. Esser MB, Hedden SL, Kanny D, Brewer RD, Gfroerer JC, Naimi TS., Prev Chronic Dis 2014;11:140329.
  6. World Health Organization., Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization; 2018.
  7. Alpert HR, Slater ME, Yoon YH, Chen CM, Winstanley N, Esser MB., Am J Prev Med 2022;63:286–300.
  8. Greenfield LA., Report prepared for the Assistant Attorney General’s National Symposium on Alcohol Abuse and Crime. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Justice, 1998.
  9. Mohler-Kuo M, Dowdall GW, Koss M, Wechsler H., Journal of Studies on Alcohol 2004;65(1):37–45.
  10. Abbey A., J Stud Alcohol Suppl 2002;14:118–128.
  11. Kanny D, Brewer RD, Mesnick JB, Paulozzi LJ, Naimi TS, Lu H., MMWR 2015;63:1238-1242.
  12. Naimi TS, Lipscomb LE, Brewer RD, Colley BG., Pediatrics 2003;11(5):1136–1141.
  13. Wechsler H, Davenport A, Dowdall G, Moeykens B, Castillo S., JAMA 1994;272(21):1672–1677.
  14. Kesmodel U, Wisborg K, Olsen SF, Henriksen TB, Sechler NJ., Alcohol & Alcoholism 2002;37(1):87–92.
  15. American Academy of Pediatrics, Committee on Substance Abuse and Committee on Children with Disabilities.2000., Pediatrics 2000;106:358–361.
  16. Rehm J, Baliunas D, Borges GL, Graham K, Irving H, Kehoe T, et al., Addiction.2010;105(5):817-43.
  17. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Personal Habits and Indoor Combustions: A Review of Human Carcinogens, Volume 100E 2012. Available from:,
  18. Miller JW, Naimi TS, Brewer RD, Jones SE., Pediatrics.2007;119(1):76-85.
  19. Castaneda R, Sussman N, Westreich L, Levy R, O’Malley M., J Clin Psychiatry 1996;57(5):207–212.
  20. Booth BM, Feng W., J Behavioral Health Services and Research 2002;29(2):157–166.
  21. Leonard KE, Rothbard JC., J Stud Alcohol Suppl 1999;13:139–146.
  • : Alcohol Use and Your Health

    How long does it take for alcohol to cause heart failure?

    Heavy Alcohol Consumption and Risk of HF – Heavy alcohol consumption (regardless of beverage type) is associated with alcoholic cardiomyopathy, Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is characterized by left ventricular dilation, increased left ventricular mass, and reduced or normal left ventricular wall thickness among patients with a long-term history of heavy alcohol consumption (5-15 years).

    Limited data are available on the amount and duration of consumption required to produce symptomatic alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Most studies have reported that alcoholic patients with symptomatic HF had 10 years or more of exposure to heavy drinking, Previous reports suggest that even among alcoholic patients, alcohol abstinence leads to improved survival in patients with alcoholic cardiomyopathy,

    Pathophysiologic mechanisms underlying alcoholic cardiomyopathy are poorly understood. Excessive alcohol consumption has been associated with left ventricular myocyte loss in some animal models but not in all studies, In addition, heavy drinking may cause myocyte dysfunction (through abnormalities in calcium homeostasis) and elevated levels of norepinephrine,

    How many drinks a day is considered an alcoholic?

    The Basics: Defining How Much Alcohol is Too Much Step 1 – Read the Article

    • Show your patients a standard drink chart when asking about their alcohol consumption to encourage more accurate estimates. Drinks often contain more alcohol than people think, and patients often underestimate their consumption.
    • Advise some patients not to drink at all, including those who are managing health conditions that can be worsened by alcohol, are taking medications that could interact with alcohol, are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are under age 21.
    • Otherwise, advise patients who choose to drink to follow the U.S. Dietary Guidelines, by limiting intake to 1 drink or less for women and 2 drinks or less for men—on any single day, not on average, Drinking at this level may reduce, though not eliminate, risks.
    • Don’t advise non-drinking patients to start drinking alcohol for their health. Past research overestimated benefits of moderate drinking, while current research points to added risks, such as for breast cancer, even with low levels of drinking.
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    How much, how fast, and how often a person drinks alcohol all factor into the risk for alcohol-related problems. How much and how fast a person drinks influences how much alcohol enters the bloodstream, how impaired he or she becomes, and what the related acute risks will be.

    Over time, how much and how often a person drinks influences not only acute risks but also chronic health problems, including liver disease and alcohol use disorder (AUD), and social harms such as relationship problems.1 (See Core articles on and,) It can be hard for patients to gauge and accurately report their alcohol intake to clinicians, in part because labels on alcohol containers typically list only the percent of alcohol by volume (ABV) and not serving sizes or the number of servings per container.

    Whether served in a bar or restaurant or poured at home, drinks often contain more alcohol than people think. It’s easy and common for patients to underestimate their consumption.2,3 While there is no guaranteed safe amount of alcohol for anyone, general guidelines can help clinicians advise their patients and minimize the risks.

    Here, we will provide basic information about drink sizes, drinking patterns, and alcohol metabolism to help answer the question “how much is too much?” In short, the answer from current research is, the less alcohol, the better. A note on drinking level terms used in this Core article: The 2020-2025 states that for adults who choose to drink alcohol, women should have 1 drink or less in a day and men should have 2 drinks or less in a day.

    These amounts are not intended as an average but rather a daily limit. brings a person’s blood alcohol concentration to 0.08 percent or more, which typically happens if a woman has 4 or more drinks, or a man has 5 or more drinks, within about 2 hours.

    How does cardiomyopathy feel?

    Cardiomyopathy refers to conditions that affect your heart muscle. If you have cardiomyopathy, your heart can’t efficiently pump blood to the rest of your body. As a result, you may experience fatigue, shortness of breath or heart palpitations. Cardiomyopathy gets worse over time.

    How does alcohol affect your eyes?

    Blindness caused by alcohol isn’t common, but it’s possible. Unhealthy amounts of alcohol consumption can lead to a decrease in peripheral vision, weakened eye muscles, a thinning of the cornea, and loss of color vision —all things that can lead to permanent vision loss.

    Does quitting alcohol lower blood pressure?

    Week three of giving up alcohol – Drinking too much alcohol can cause your blood pressure to rise over time. After 3-4 weeks of not drinking, your blood pressure will start to reduce. Reducing your blood pressure can be crucial as it can help to lessen the risk of health problems occurring in the future.

    As the calories in alcohol can cause you to gain weight, giving up alcohol can also help you to reduce your blood pressure as a result of the weight you can potentially lose. By this point, if you’d previously been drinking six 175ml glasses of wine a week, you would have lost 2880 calories over three weeks.

    And if you’d been drinking six pints of lager a week, you would have lost 3240 calories.

    How long does it take for inflammation from alcohol to go away?

    How long until your liver detoxes from alcohol? – Of course, we all want a simple, achievable number for how long we should abstain from alcohol in order for our bodies to fully heal from its effects. But the truth is, the timeline of your liver detoxing is going to depend on different factors like:

    The amount of alcohol you consume. The frequency of your drinking. Any other health conditions you may have. Your age. Your weight.

    “There is no ‘one size fits all’ answer,” states Dr. Lindenmeyer. “It depends on how much damage has already been done and any possible complications.” There has been some research conducted on how abstaining from alcohol detoxifies your liver over time.

    1. A 2021 review of research notes that several studies determined that two to four weeks of abstinence from alcohol by heavy-alcohol users helped reduce inflammation and bring down elevated serum levels in the liver.
    2. In short: A few weeks off will help.
    3. But the longer you can abstain from alcohol, the better.

    And if your liver has experienced long-term effects, your healthcare provider would probably recommend lifelong abstinence from alcohol to allow it to fully detox and recover. “For patients who are left with cirrhosis after severe injury to the liver from alcohol, even one drink of alcohol is toxic to the liver,” cautions Dr.

    Is it ever too late to stop drinking?

    By Cara Murez HealthDay Reporter (HealthDay) THURSDAY, Dec.15, 2022 (HealthDay News) – Quitting alcohol can help reduce complications of liver cirrhosis, even in patients who have advanced disease. It can also help them live longer, new research shows. “Our results clearly show that all patients with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis who maintain sustained abstinence from alcohol not only suffer complications of liver cirrhosis significantly less frequently, but also live considerably longer – even in the case of pronounced portal hypertension,” study co-author Dr.

    Benedikt Hofer said in a news release from the Medical University of Vienna. Hofer is in the department of internal medicine, specializing in gastroenterology and hepatology. Cirrhosis is significant scarring of the liver. It is one of the most frequent and severe complications of excessive drinking. For the study, the Austrian research team analyzed the progression of 320 patients with alcohol-related liver cirrhosis over roughly three years.

    Three-quarters remained abstinent, while one quarter continued drinking. The researchers investigated both alcohol abstinence and blood pressure in the veins that take blood from the gastrointestinal tract to the liver. This is called portal hypertension.

    • Alcohol consumption as well as portal hypertension are responsible for progression of liver disease.
    • The measurement of portal hypertension provides important information about prognosis in patients who have alcohol-related liver cirrhosis, whether or not they’re abstaining from alcohol, the study noted.
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    “Our new data provide important evidence for the daily counseling of our patients and show that it is never too late to strive for complete abstinence from alcohol,” said study leader Dr. Thomas Reiberger, an associate professor of hepatology at the university.

    However, even patients who do stop drinking are at risk of developing complications, so they still need regular checkups, especially if their portal hypertension remains pronounced, the authors noted. More information The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more on cirrhosis, SOURCE: Medical University of Vienna, news release, Dec.13, 2022 Copyright © 2022 HealthDay,

    All rights reserved.

    What alcohol does to your body after the age of 40?

    How does drinking damage the body? – Drinking too much at one time or on any given day, or having too many drinks over the course of a week, increases the risk of harmful consequences, including injuries and health problems. People who consistently misuse alcohol over time are also at greater risk of developing alcohol use disorder. Drinking too much alcohol over a long time can:

    Lead to some kinds of cancer, liver damage, immune system disorders, and brain damage Worsen some health conditions such as osteoporosis, diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, ulcers, memory loss, and mood disorders Make some medical conditions hard for doctors to accurately diagnose and treat. For example, alcohol causes changes in the heart and blood vessels. These changes can dull pain that might be a warning sign of a heart attack. Cause some older people to be forgetful and confused — symptoms that could be mistaken for signs of Alzheimer’s disease or a related dementia.

    What are the long term effects of alcohol on health and wellbeing?

    How alcohol affects your body – In the short-term, drinking too much can lead to alcohol poisoning, sleep problems, an upset stomach, bloating and migraines. It may make you behave recklessly or aggressively, have an accident or become the victim of violence.

    Drinking a lot for many years will take its toll on your body. Long-term alcohol misuse increases your risk of serious health conditions, including heart disease, stroke, high blood pressure, liver disease and cancer. It can lead to social problems such as relationship break-ups, unemployment, financial difficulties and homelessness.

    Dealing with physical health problems, debt and housing issues can all affect your mental health.

    What are 3 short term effects of excessive alcohol consumption?

    Potential short-term effects of alcohol include hangover and alcohol poisoning, as well as falls and accidents, conflict, lowered inhibitions and risky behaviours.

    What is a long term effect of alcohol on the body quizlet?

    Long-term drinking can lead to liver cancer, inflammation of liver which is called hepatitis, and cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a disease that replaces healthy live tissue with useless scar tissue. Hanging out with friends who drink alcohol increases the chance that a person will drink.

    What organ does alcohol affect long term?

    Long-term effects of alcohol misuse – Drinking large amounts of alcohol for many years will take its toll on many of the body’s organs and may cause organ damage. Organs known to be damaged by long-term alcohol misuse include the brain and nervous system, heart, liver and pancreas.

    • Heavy drinking can also increase your blood pressure and blood cholesterol levels, both of which are major risk factors for heart attacks and strokes.
    • Long-term alcohol misuse can weaken your immune system, making you more vulnerable to serious infections.
    • It can also weaken your bones, placing you at greater risk of fracturing or breaking them.

    There are many long-term health risks associated with alcohol misuse. They include:

    high blood pressure stroke pancreatitis liver disease liver cancer mouth cancer head and neck cancer breast cancer bowel cancer depression dementia sexual problems, such as impotence or premature ejaculation infertility damage to the brain, which can lead to problems with thinking and memory

    As well as having a significant impact on your health, alcohol misuse can also have long-term social implications. For example, it can lead to:

    family break-up and divorce domestic abuse unemploymenthomelessnessfinancial problems

    How long does alcohol affect blood pressure?

    Authors’ conclusions – High‐dose alcohol has a biphasic effect on BP; it decreases BP up to 12 hours after consumption and increases BP > 13 hours after consumption. High‐dose alcohol increases HR at all times up to 24 hours. Findings of this review are relevant mainly to healthy males, as only small numbers of women were included in the included trials.

    How long after quitting drinking should blood pressure decrease?

    Week three of giving up alcohol – Drinking too much alcohol can cause your blood pressure to rise over time. After 3-4 weeks of not drinking, your blood pressure will start to reduce. Reducing your blood pressure can be crucial as it can help to lessen the risk of health problems occurring in the future.

    As the calories in alcohol can cause you to gain weight, giving up alcohol can also help you to reduce your blood pressure as a result of the weight you can potentially lose. By this point, if you’d previously been drinking six 175ml glasses of wine a week, you would have lost 2880 calories over three weeks.

    And if you’d been drinking six pints of lager a week, you would have lost 3240 calories.

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