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I have cardiomyopthy, ejection fraction 19, had quad bypass, feel good, lotsa meds, can I drink a glass of wine a day?

By Anonymous May 27, 2009 - 1:55pm
 
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Dear Anon, you do not mention the type of meds you are taking. There are many drugs which contraindicate using alcohol while taking them. Assuming your drugs do not limit alcohol use, here is what the American Heart Association (AHA) says about alcohol drinking and heart disease:"If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation. This means an average of one to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. (A drink is one 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits, or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits.)

Drinking more alcohol increases your risk of alcoholism, high blood pressure, obesity, stroke, breast cancer, suicide and accidents. Also, it's not possible to predict in which people alcoholism will become a problem. Given these and other risks, the American Heart Association cautions people NOT to start drinking ... if they do not already drink alcohol. Consult your doctor on the benefits and risks of consuming alcohol in moderation." www.americanheart.org

Many studies have been published in science journals about how drinking alcohol may be associated with reduced mortality due to heart disease in some populations. Some researchers have suggested that the benefit may be due to a component of red wine such as flavonoids and antioxidants content like resveratrol. Flavonoids for example are the chemicals that give the wine its particular taste and character, making one different from another. Many of these flavanoids act like antioxidants.

The most important research was carried out by Serge Renaud, who discovered the French Paradox, which suggested that wine was the decisive factor in protecting the people in southern France from their very high fat diets and ultimately coronary heart disease. Even if these people do eat large quantities of high fat cheese, pâté, and salami they have some of the lowest rates of heart disease in the world.

However, if you have never drank wine before, do not start without consulting your doctor! The AHA cautions that these components may be found in other foods such as grapes or red grape juice.

Here is a link to a 60 Minutes report on Resveratrol, a main component found on the skin of red grapes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R3TGKOQeTrc&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eresveratrolultra%2Ecom%2Foffer%2Fresveratrolultralp2%2F%3Fmid%3D122%26subid%3D41162%2D1467583&feature=player_embedded

May 27, 2009 - 10:09pm
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