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SearchIt is National Women's Health Week. A cardiologist comments on a recent study showing how too much alcohol can put some women at greater risk for heart disease.
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CLEVELAND - It is National Women’s Health Week.
A recent study found that women who drank at least eight alcoholic beverages per week were 33 to 51% more likely to develop heart disease.
Roughly 430,000 women between the ages of 18 and 65 were involved with the research.
“There’s lots of myths out there about drinking alcohol and how maybe drinking one glass of red wine decreases heart disease, but we know that alcohol actually increases blood pressure, it increases your risk for getting atrial fibrillation,” explained Leslie Cho, MD, cardiologist for Cleveland Clinic.
Dr. Cho was not a part of the study but is glad to hear that this kind of research is being done to show the risks of alcohol – especially for women.
She said since the pandemic, it appears women have been drinking more than they used to, with some saying they do it to help with stress.
Dr. Cho advises those individuals to reflect on their drinking habits and consider healthier options for relaxation.
For example, you can practice mindfulness, meditation or seek out cognitive behavioral therapy.
And it’s not just daily drinkers that need to be careful.
“There are people who don’t drink on weekdays but then they drink heavily on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. I think we need to be aware of how much we drink,” said Dr. Cho. “If you are drinking more than six to eight ounces of wine, or if you’re drinking more than a glass of beer, 12 ounces, or more than an ounce or two of hard liquor a day, that’s too much.”
Dr. Cho also encourages women to make sure they are seeing their primary care physicians for annual checkups.
She said it’s important to know where you stand with your blood pressure, cholesterol and glucose levels.
Cleveland Clinic is a nonprofit multispecialty academic medical center that integrates clinical and hospital care with research and education. Located in Cleveland, Ohio, it was founded in 1921 by four renowned physicians with a vision of providing outstanding patient care based upon the principles of cooperation, compassion and innovation. Cleveland Clinic has pioneered many medical breakthroughs, including coronary artery bypass surgery and the first face transplant in the United States. Cleveland Clinic is consistently recognized in the U.S. and throughout the world for its expertise and care. Among Cleveland Clinic’s 81,000 employees worldwide are more than 5,743 salaried physicians and researchers, and 20,160 registered nurses and advanced practice providers, representing 140 medical specialties and subspecialties. Cleveland Clinic is a 6,690-bed health system that includes a 173-acre main campus near downtown Cleveland, 23 hospitals, 276 outpatient facilities, including locations in northeast Ohio; Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada; Toronto, Canada; Abu Dhabi, UAE; and London, England. In 2023, there were 13.7 million outpatient encounters, 323,000 hospital admissions and observations, and 301,000 surgeries and procedures throughout Cleveland Clinic’s health system. Patients came for treatment from every state and 132 countries. Visit us at clevelandclinic.org. Follow us at twitter.com/CleClinicNews. News and resources available at newsroom.clevelandclinic.org.
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