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(Circulation. 2005;111:e10-e11.)
© 2005 American Heart Association, Inc.

Cardiology Patient Page

Red Wine and Your Heart

Paul E. Szmitko, BSc; Subodh Verma, MD, PhD

From the Division of Cardiac Surgery, Toronto General Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Correspondence to Subodh Verma, MD, PhD, Division of Cardiac Surgery, Toronto General Hospital, 200 Elizabeth St, 14 EN-215, Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4, Canada. E-mail subodh.verma@sympatico.ca

An extract of the first 250 words of the full text is provided, because this article has no abstract.

	Introduction

 
Drinking red wine has been portrayed by the media as a means of combating heart disease. Do these claims have any real medical basis? The main health benefit of moderate alcohol use appears to be related to its effect on the development of atherosclerosis or the accumulation of fatty plaques in the blood vessels, particularly the coronary arteries that supply the heart. These deposits decrease blood flow to the heart and may promote the formation of vessel-blocking clots, which can result in anginal chest pain or even a life-threatening heart attack. In this article, we examine the scientific literature behind these claims, both epidemiological (studies focused on disease within whole populations) and biological (studies focused on how the molecular components of red wine affect atherosclerosis).

	Epidemiology

 
The moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages, defined as 1 to 2 drinks per day, has been suggested to increase overall survival rates in a number of different population groups. One standard drink is generally considered to be 1.5 oz of liquor, 5 oz of wine, or 12 oz of beer. The patient groups that appear to benefit most from light to moderate drinking, middle-aged men and women, are also those who are at increased risk for developing cardiovascular disease. Thus, the reduction in total mortality that is associated with moderate alcohol consumption, generally a 30% reduction in risk, is believed to be the result of a reduction in the risk of developing atherosclerotic disease.

When the data from 51 epidemiological studies were combined, they showed . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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