A new study published recently in the medical journal Epidemiology suggests that binge drinking may increase the risk of heart attack by almost 70%.
The study was conducted by a team of international researchers and shows that the risk of heart attack is even higher at the beginning of the drinking session.
According to the researchers, binge drinking can actually increase the blood pressure of the drinker during the first hour of consuming the alcoholic beverages.
The same study reveals that individuals who don’t usually drink on weekdays are at a higher risk if they go heavy drinking on weekends.
The scientists warn that embarking on a heavy drinking session of vodka, gin or whiskey is even more dangerous for the heart than if one binge drinks alcoholic beverages like beer or wine.
The team of researchers who conducted the study said that individuals who drink regularly a small quantity of alcohol are less likely to have a heart attack and could actually benefit from this in other ways, as well.
The study was conducted by a group of researcher from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, Massachusetts and found that a drinker could increase the risk of suffering from a heart disease depending on how much alcohol one drinks on a daily basis.
According to their research, those who drink occasionally a small quantity of alcohol and go binge drinking over the weekend have an increased risk of heart attack.
The study involved data collected from several studies conducted by different teams of experts from United States, Canada, the Netherlands and Australia.
The scientists analyzed the information of more than 4,000 individuals who suffered from heart attacks.
Each patient was asked about the amount of alcoholic drinks consumed and what kind of alcohol he or she preferred.
After the researchers interviewed all 4,000 patients, they found that those who engage in binge drinking, especially in the first hour, had a 72% risk of suffering from a heart attack.
The studies revealed that the risk of heart attack starts to decrease after the third hour of the binge drinking session.
For those who only drink occasionally and decide to go binge drinking, their most dangerous period is in the first hour.
The researchers drew the conclusion that those who consume alcohol moderately have a lower risk of heart attacks, while those who don’t usually drink but engage in binge drinking are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease.
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