Turning back the clock: adopting a healthy lifestyle in middle age

Purpose

To determine the frequency of adopting a healthy lifestyle (5 or more fruits and vegetables daily, regular exercise, BMI 18.5-29.9 kg/m², no current smoking) in a middle-aged cohort, and determine the subsequent rates of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality among those who adopt a healthy lifestyle.

Methods

We conducted a cohort study in a diverse sample of adults age 45-64 in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities survey. Outcomes are all-cause mortality and fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular disease.

Results

Of 15,708 participants, 1344 (8.5%) had 4 healthy lifestyle habits at the first visit, and 970 (8.4%) of the remainder had newly adopted a healthy lifestyle 6 years later. Men, African Americans, individuals with lower socioeconomic status, or a history of hypertension or diabetes were less likely to newly adopt a healthy lifestyle (all P <.05). During the following 4 years, total mortality and cardiovascular disease events were lower for new adopters (2.5% vs 4.2%, χ²P <.01, and 11.7% vs 16.5%, χ²P <.01 respectively) compared to individuals who did not adopt a healthy lifestyle. After adjustment, new adopters had lower all-cause mortality (OR 0.60, 95% Confidence Interval [CI], 0.39-0.92) and fewer cardiovascular disease events (OR 0.65, 95% CI, 0.39-0.92) in the next 4 years.

Conclusions

People who newly adopt a healthy lifestyle in middle-age experience a prompt benefit of lower rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality. Strategies to encourage adopting healthy lifestyles should be implemented, especially among people with hypertension, diabetes, or low socioeconomic status.     

Smoking, alcohol consumption, and Raynaud's phenomenon in middle age

Background

Data suggest Raynaud’s phenomenon shares risk factors with cardiovascular disease. Studies of smoking, alcohol consumption, and Raynaud’s have produced conflicting results and were limited by small sample size and failure to adjust for confounders. Our objective was to determine whether smoking and alcohol are independently associated with Raynaud’s in a large, community-based cohort.

Methods

By using a validated survey to classify Raynaud’s in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort, we performed sex-specific analyses of Raynaud’s status by smoking and alcohol consumption in 1840 women and 1602 men. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to examine the relationship of Raynaud’s to smoking and alcohol consumption.

Results

Current smoking was not associated with Raynaud’s in women but was associated with increased risk in men (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.59, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-6.04). Heavy alcohol consumption in women was associated with increased risk of Raynaud’s (adjusted OR 1.69, 95% CI, 1.02-2.82), whereas moderate alcohol consumption in men was associated with reduced risk (adjusted OR 0.51, 95% CI, 0.29-0.89). In both genders, red wine consumption was associated with a reduced risk of Raynaud’s (adjusted OR 0.59, 95% CI, 0.36-0.96 in women and adjusted OR 0.30, 95% CI, 0.15-0.62 in men).

Conclusions

Our data suggest that middle-aged women and men may have distinct physiologic mechanisms underlying their Raynaud’s, and thus sex-specific therapeutic approaches may be appropriate. Our data also support the possibility that moderate red wine consumption may protect against Raynaud’s.     

饮酒与糖尿病及其心血管并发症

糖尿病是目前严重危害人类健康和生命的慢性疾病。多项临床观察表明,适量、中等度饮酒可降低糖尿病发病风险,改善血糖控制,降低糖尿病心血管并发症发病风险。其可能机制包括适量饮酒升高机体高密度脂蛋白-胆固醇水平,增加胰岛素敏感性,减轻体内慢性炎症状态等。     

中年体检者心血管病发病危险的评估与分析

目的 探讨“国人缺血性心血管病十年发病危险评估方法”在中年体检者中的应用价值.方法 应用“国人缺血性心血管病十年发病危险评估方法”对1203名35～59岁健康体检者心血管病10年发病的绝对危险和相对危险进行评估和相关分析.结果 （1）中年体检者10年缺血性心血管病发病的绝对危险均值为1.30％±1.80％,其中绝对危险≥5％的45名（3.7％）;（2）中年体检者缺血性心血管病相关危险因素（收缩压≥140 mm Hg、舒张压≥90 mm Hg、体质指数≥24 kg/m2、总胆固醇≥5.2 mmol/L、空腹血糖≥7.0 mmol/L、吸烟）的检出率男性高于女性,差异均有统计学意义（x2=26.942,P＜0.01;x2=29.250,P＜ 0.01;x2=233.325,P＜ 0.01;x2=5.510,P=0.022;x2=5.730,P=0.015;x2=65.009,P＜0.01）;（3）10年缺血性心血管病发病的绝对危险≥5％的人群各项心血管危险因素的检出率均高于发病绝对危险＜5％的人群,差异均有统计学意义（x2=239.62,P＜0.01;x2=10.78,P＜0.01;x2 =36.40,P＜0.01;x2 =35.19,P＜0.01;x2 =25.42,P＜0.01;x2 =4.98,P=0.034）;（4）不同年龄组10年缺血性心血管病发病相对危险在平均水平倍数≤1和＞1间、理想水平倍数≤1和＞1间比较,差异均有统计学意义（x2 =52.032、160.077,均为P＜0.01）.结论 “国人缺血性心血管病十年发病危险评估方法”已成为评估我国居民心血管病发病危险的重要工具.10年缺血性心血管病发病的绝对危险在公共卫生领域有重要指导意义,而相对危险对个体的临床综合干预更具指导意义.     

Caveolin and caveolae in age associated cardiovascular disease

It is estimated that the elderly (> 65 years of age) will increase from 13%?14% to 25% by 2035. If this trend continues, > 50% of the United States population and more than two billion people worldwide will be “aged” in the next 50 years. Aged individuals face formidable challenges to their health, as aging is associated with a myriad of diseases. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States with > 50% of mortality attributed to coronary artery disease and > 80% of these deaths occurring in those age 65 and older. Therefore, age is an important predictor of cardiovascular disease. The efficiency of youth is built upon cellular signaling scaffolds that provide tight and coordinated signaling. Lipid rafts are one such scaffold of which caveolae are a subset. In this review, we consider the importance of caveolae in common cardiovascular diseases of the aged and as potential therapeutic targets. We specifically address the role of caveolin in heart failure, myocardial ischemia, and pulmonary hypertension.     

Adherence to Healthy Lifestyle Habits in US Adults, 1988-2006

Background

Lifestyle choices are associated with cardiovascular disease and mortality. The purpose of this study was to compare adherence to healthy lifestyle habits in adults between 1988 and 2006.

Methods

Analysis of adherence to 5 healthy lifestyle trends (≥5 fruits and vegetables/day, regular exercise >12 times/month, maintaining healthy weight [body mass index 18.5-29.9 kg/m²], moderate alcohol consumption [up to 1 drink/day for women, 2/day for men] and not smoking) in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1988-1994 were compared with results from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2001-2006 among adults aged 40-74 years.

Results

Over the last 18 years, the percent of adults aged 40-74 years with a body mass index ≥30 kg/m² has increased from 28% to 36% (P <.05); physical activity 12 times a month or more has decreased from 53% to 43% (P <.05); smoking rates have not changed (26.9% to 26.1%); eating 5 or more fruits and vegetables a day has decreased from 42% to 26% (P <.05), and moderate alcohol use has increased from 40% to 51% (P <.05). Adherence to all 5 healthy habits has gone from 15% to 8% (P <.05). Although adherence to a healthy lifestyle was lower among minorities, adherence decreased more among non-Hispanic Whites over the period. Individuals with a history of hypertension/diabetes/cardiovascular disease were no more likely to be adherent to a healthy lifestyle than people without these conditions.

Conclusions

Generally, adherence to a healthy lifestyle pattern has decreased during the last 18 years, with decreases documented in 3 of 5 healthy lifestyle habits. These findings have broad implications for the future risk of cardiovascular disease in adults.     

Incidence of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease in Danish men and women with a prolonged heavy alcohol intake

Background: Several epidemiological studies have found U‐ or J‐shaped relationships between alcohol intake and cardiovascular conditions. The influence of heavy drinking is, however, sparsely studied. The objective of the present study was to examine whether alcohol addicts have higher incidence rates of cardio‐ and cerebrovascular diseases than the population in general. Methods: The cohort comprised 19,185 subjects (15,368 men and 3,817 women) who attended outpatient clinics for alcohol abusers within the Copenhagen Hospital Corporation (1954 to 1992). Incidence rates were standardized (SIR) according to sex, age and calendar time to compare subjects’ cardio‐ and cerebrovascular incidence with that of the general population of Copenhagen. Results: During the period 1977 to 2001 a total of 9,397 events of cardio‐ and cerebrovascular disease were observed. In both men and women, statistically significant higher incidence rates than would be expected in a standard population were observed for cardiovascular diseases (e.g., ischemic heart diseases, men: SIR = 1.76; 95% CI 1.69–1.83; women: SIR = 2.44; 95% CI 2.19–2.73) and cerebrovascular diseases (e.g., hemorrhagic stroke, men: SIR = 2.71; 95% CI 2.45–2.99; women: SIR = 2.77; 95% CI 2.18–3.48). Conclusions: The study indicates increased risks of cardio‐ and cerebrovascular diseases in subjects with an excessive alcohol intake.     

Seven-year changes in alcohol consumption and subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease in men

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined whether changes in alcohol consumption influence future cardiovascular risk. OBJECTIVE: To examine whether 7-year changes in alcohol consumption are associated with the subsequent risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). METHODS: We prospectively followed up 18,455 men aged 40 to 84 years from the Physicians' Health Study with no history of CVD or cancer. Alcohol consumption was reported on the baseline and the 7-year questionnaires; follow-up for this analysis began after the 7-year questionnaire (median follow-up, 5.8 years). There were 1091 CVD cases, including myocardial infarction, angina pectoris, revascularization, stroke, and CVD-related death. RESULTS: Among men initially consuming 1 drink per week or less (n=7360), those with moderate increases (>1 to <6 drinks per week) in alcohol consumption had a borderline significant (P=.05) 29% reduced risk of CVD compared with men with no changes (-1 to 1 drink per week). Among men initially consuming greater than 1 to 6 drinks per week (n=6612), those with moderate increases had a nonsignificant (P=.32) 15% decrease in CVD risk compared with men with no changes. Finally, among men initially consuming 1 drink per day or more (n=4483), those who increased intake had a 63% increased risk of CVD compared with men with no changes. CONCLUSIONS: These prospective data suggest that, among men with initially low alcohol consumption (相似文献   

Prevention of cardiovascular risk by moderate alcohol consumption: epidemiologic evidence and plausible mechanisms

An inverse association between moderate alcohol intake and cardiovascular risk, in particular coronary disease and ischemic stroke, has been shown in many epidemiologic studies. In addition, several other diseases are also known to occur less frequently in moderate drinkers than in non-drinkers, whereas excess of drinking is invariably harmful. However, some concern has been recently raised about the possibility that at all dosages the harm of alcohol could overcome its beneficial effects. We present here the epidemiologic and mechanistic evidence to support the protective effect of moderate alcohol intake against cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality.     

Motivation to reduce alcohol consumption and subsequent attempts at reduction and changes in consumption in increasing and higher‐risk drinkers in England: a prospective population survey

Aims

To assess how far motivation to reduce alcohol consumption in increasing and higher‐risk drinkers in England predicts self‐reported attempts to reduce alcohol consumption and changes in alcohol intake during the following 6 months.

Methods

This study used self‐reported data from 2928 higher‐risk drinkers in the Alcohol Toolkit Study (ATS): a series of monthly cross‐sectional household surveys of adults aged 16+ years of age in England. Alcohol consumption was measured in an initial survey and in a 6‐month telephone follow‐up interview using the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT)‐C questionnaire. Motivation was measured in the initial survey using the Motivation to Reduce Alcohol Consumption (MRAC) scale. Attempts to reduce alcohol consumption during the past 6 months were recorded at follow‐up. Data were analysed using repeated‐measures difference‐in‐differences and logistic regression models.

Results

Participants with higher initial motivation to reduce alcohol consumption were more likely to report that they had made an attempt to reduce consumption at follow‐up [adjusted odds ratio (OR_adj) = 2.39, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.75–3.29]. There was an overall reduction in alcohol consumption between initial survey and follow‐up (OR_adj = 0.72, 95% CI = 0.65–0.79), but there was insufficient evidence of an additional effect of motivation to reduce consumption on subsequent changes in alcohol consumption, with the difference‐in‐differences effect instead suggesting an average increase (OR_adj = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.00–1.88).

Conclusions

Increasing and higher‐risk drinkers in England who report greater motivation to reduce their consumption are more likely to report making an attempt to reduce during the next 6 months, but this may not be associated with a reduction in alcohol consumption.     

Relationship of light to moderate alcohol consumption and risk of hypertension in Japanese male office workers

BACKGROUND: A close relationship between alcohol consumption and hypertension has been established, but the effect of light to moderate alcohol consumption on blood pressure (BP) remains unclear. METHODS: A total of 5275 Japanese male office workers aged 23 to 59 years partook in a survey. Subjects were classified as nondrinkers or current drinkers who averaged less than 12, 12 to 22, 23 to 45, or > or =46 g/day of ethanol. BPs were measured at annual health examinations from May 1996 through May 2000. A total of 3784 hypertension-free (systolic BP <140 mm Hg, diastolic BP <90 mm Hg, no medication for hypertension, and no history of hypertension) men were observed for 4 years. Men in whom hypertension (systolic BP > or =140 mm Hg, diastolic BP > or =90 mm Hg, or both or receipt of antihypertensive medication) was found during repeated surveys were defined as incident cases of hypertension. RESULTS: After controlling for potential predictors of hypertension, systolic and diastolic BP levels and the incidence of hypertension were lowest in nondrinkers in all three age ranges (23-35, 36-47, and 45-59 years) and increased in a dose-dependent manner as alcohol consumption increased. For individuals aged 23 to 35 years, systolic and diastolic BP levels and the incidence of hypertension were significantly higher among those who drank an average of > or =23 g/day of ethanol than among nondrinkers. For those aged 36 to 59, the diastolic BP level was significantly higher among those who drank any alcohol at all than among nondrinkers, and the systolic BP level and the incidence of hypertension were significantly higher among those who drank an average of > or =12 g/day of ethanol than among nondrinkers. CONCLUSIONS: Light to moderate alcohol consumption seems to have an important influence on BP in both young and middle-aged Japanese men.     

Effect of moderate alcohol consumption on parameters of reverse cholesterol transport in postmenopausal women

BACKGROUND: Alcohol consumption is associated with increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels. One of the main antiatherogenic functions of HDL is reverse cholesterol transport. Three early steps of reverse cholesterol transport are (1) cellular cholesterol efflux, (2) plasma cholesterol esterification (EST), and (3) cholesteryl ester transfer (CET) to apolipoprotein B-containing lipoproteins. Our previous study in healthy middle-aged men showed that moderate alcohol consumption increases cellular cholesterol efflux and EST. This study investigated the effect of moderate alcohol consumption on three early steps of reverse cholesterol transport in postmenopausal women. METHODS: In a randomized crossover study, 18 postmenopausal women--all apparently healthy, non-smoking, and moderate alcohol drinkers--consumed white wine or white grape juice with evening dinner during 2 successive periods of 3 weeks. During the white wine period, alcohol intake equaled 24 g/day. At the end of each of the two experimental periods, blood samples were collected. RESULTS: Three weeks of alcohol consumption increased serum HDL cholesterol levels (5.0%; p < 0.05), serum HDL phospholipid levels (5.8%; p < 0.05), and the ex vivo cellular cholesterol efflux capacity of plasma, measured with Fu5AH cells (3.4%; p < 0.05). Plasma EST and CET did not change. CONCLUSIONS: Moderate alcohol intake increases serum HDL cholesterol level and stimulates cellular cholesterol efflux in postmenopausal women. Moderate alcohol consumption does not seem to affect two other early steps of reverse cholesterol transport at this level of alcohol intake. Our data suggest that the relative protection of moderate alcohol consumption against cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women may involve the stimulation of reverse cholesterol transport through increased HDL.     

Effects of functional polymorphisms related to catecholaminergic systems on changes in blood catecholamine and cardiovascular measures after alcohol ingestion in the Japanese population

Background: The polymorphism of human aldehyde dehyrogenase‐2 (ALDH2) Glu⁴⁸⁷Lys is well known to be a crucial factor underlying the genetic background for alcohol sensitivity in Asian populations. Subjects with the inactive Lys⁴⁸⁷ allele show a marked increase in blood acetaldehyde level after alcohol intake, which results in facial flushing and various cardiovascular‐related symptoms. However, other polymorphisms related to catecholaminergic systems that tightly regulate the activity of the sympathetic nervous system may also influence the physiological changes after acute alcohol intake. Methods: We investigated whether, together with the ALDH2 Gly⁴⁸⁷Lys and ADH1B Arg⁴⁷His genotype, putative functionally important polymorphisms, including 9 loci in 7 human genes, were associated with changes in blood catecholamine levels and cardiovascular measures after alcohol ingestion. Forty‐nine young Japanese males were subjected to blood catecholamine analysis after alcohol ingestion. Among them, 28 were also subjected to heart rate variability and blood pressure analysis. The contribution of polymorphisms to the alcohol‐induced response was analyzed by multiple regression analysis. Results: Among the polymorphisms examined in this study, haplotypes of the phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase (PNMT) promoter [(?182bpG/A)_(?387bpG/A)] and catechol‐O‐methyltransferase (COMT) exon 4 [(Ex4 + 119bpC/G)_(Ex4 + 138bpG/A), Leu¹³⁶Leu_Val¹⁵⁸Met] are suggested to have functionally important effects on alcohol‐induced cardiovascular symptoms by affecting blood catecholamine levels. The neuropeptide Y (NPY) promoter C‐1450T genotype is also suggested to be involved in the individual differences in regulation of catecholamine secretion. Conclusions: This study suggested that these common polymorphisms of genes related to catecholaminergic systems, as well as those of the alcohol metabolizing system, are significant for understanding the basis of individual differences in alcohol sensitivity.     

Prediction of risk of cardiovascular events in patients with mild to moderate coronary artery lesions using naive Bayesian networks

Background This prospective study integrated multiple clinical indexes and inflammatory markers associated with coronary atherosclerotic vulnerable plaque to establish a risk prediction model that can evaluate a patient with certain risk factors for the likelihood of the occurrence of a coronary heart disease event within one year. Methods This study enrolled in 2686 patients with mild to moderate coronary artery lesions. Eighty-five indexes were recorded, included baseline clinical data, laboratory studies, and procedural characteristics. During the 1-year follow-up, 233 events occurred, five patients died, four patients suffered a nonfatal myocardial infarction, four patients underwent revascularization, and 220 patients were readmitted for angina pectoris. The Risk Estimation Model and the Simplified Model were conducted using Bayesian networks and compared with the Single Factor Models. Results The area under the curve was 0.88 for the Bayesian Model and 0.85 for the Simplified Model, while the Single Factor Model had a maximum area under the curve of 0.65. Conclusion The new models can be used to assess the short-term risk of individual coronary heart disease events and may assist in guiding preventive care.     

Effects of alcohol on polysomnographically recorded sleep in healthy subjects

BACKGROUND: After studying the sleep of alcohol-dependent patients at the beginning and over the course of abstinence in earlier studies, our interest in the current study focused on the direct effect of 2 doses of alcohol [0.03 and 0.1% blood alcohol level (BAL)] on healthy sleep. This is the first polysomnographic study testing the impact of 2 doses of alcohol ingestion (thus reflecting "normal" social drinking and alcohol abuse) in a single-blind randomized design in healthy volunteers. The study evaluated a short-term acute drinking period for 3 and 2 days of withdrawal from alcohol not only for polysomnographic variables but also for subjective estimates of sleep quality. METHODS: In a crossover design with a 1-week interval, healthy subjects received alcohol to raise their blood alcohol to either 0.03 or 0.1% BAL at bedtime for 3 consecutive nights after an alcohol-free baseline night. Objective (polysomnography) and subjective sleep (questionnaires) was recorded each night. During the following 2 days, alcohol was discontinued with simultaneous measurements of sleep to gauge withdrawal effects. RESULTS: At a dose of alcohol leading to BAL of 0.03%, no clear effects could be detected. Following an evening BAL of 0.1%, a hypnotic-like effect (shortened sleep latency, reduced number of wake periods, decreased stage 1 sleep) occurred primarily during the first half of the night with signs of rebound effects being already present during the second half of the night (increased stage 1 sleep). At this dose, alcohol significantly increased slow-wave sleep (SWS) in the first half of the night and reduced REM density in the beginning of the night. After discontinuation of the higher alcohol dose, REM sleep amount increased. No significant withdrawal or rebound effects could be observed for parameters of sleep continuity during the 2 nights after discontinuation from alcohol at a BAL of 0.1%. CONCLUSIONS: Owing to the small sample size, the results of this study need to be interpreted with caution. Short-term moderate alcohol consumption (BAL 0.03%) did not significantly alter objective or subjective parameters of sleep. Higher doses of alcohol resulting in a BAL level of 0.10% immediately before going to bed mainly influenced sleep in the first half of the night, resembling the effects of a short-acting hypnotic drug, including a suppression of phasic aspects of REM sleep (REM density). Interestingly, analysis of the latter part of these nights indicated the immediate presence of withdrawal effects (increased light sleep). No statistically significant effects on sleep parameters were observable during the 2 nights of withdrawal from alcohol at the higher BAL. Interpreted carefully, our data indicate that negative effects on sleep occur already with short-term use of alcohol at doses of BAL of 0.10%, despite hypnotic-like effects during the first hours of sleep, especially during the latter part of the night.     

Mood and implicit alcohol expectancy processes: predicting alcohol consumption in the laboratory

Background: Implicit positive alcohol expectancy (PAE) processes are thought to respond phasically to external and internal stimuli—including mood states—and so they may exert powerful proximal influences over drinking behavior. Although social learning theory contends that mood states activate mood‐congruent implicit PAEs, which in turn lead to alcohol use, there is a dearth of experimental research examining this mediation model relative to observable drinking. Moreover, an expectancy theory perspective might suggest that, rather than influencing PAEs directly, mood may moderate the association between PAEs and drinking. To test these models, this study examined the role of mood in the association between implicitly measured PAE processes (i.e., latency to endorse PAEs) and immediate alcohol consumption in the laboratory. Gender differences in these processes also were examined. Method: College students (N = 146) were exposed to either a positive, negative, or neutral mood induction procedure, completed a computerized PAE reaction time (RT) task, and subsequently consumed alcohol ad libitum. Results: The mood manipulation had no direct effects on drinking in the laboratory, making the mediation hypothesis irrelevant. Instead, gender and mood condition moderated the association between RT to endorse PAEs and drinking in the laboratory. For males, RT to tension reduction PAEs was a stronger predictor of volume of beer consumed and peak blood alcohol concentration in the context of general arousal (i.e., positive and negative mood) relative to neutral mood. RT to PAEs did not predict drinking in the laboratory for females. Conclusions: The results show that PAE processes are important determinants of immediate drinking behavior in men, suggesting that biased attention to mood‐relevant PAEs—as indicated by longer RTs—predicts greater alcohol consumption in the appropriate mood context. The findings also highlight the need to consider gender differences in PAE processes. This study underscores the need for interventions that target automatic cognitive processes related to alcohol use.     

The effect of alcohol advertising on immediate alcohol consumption in college students: an experimental study

Background: Survey studies have emphasized a positive association between exposure to alcohol advertising on television (TV) and the onset and continuation of drinking among young people. Alcohol advertising might also directly influence viewers’ consumption of alcohol while watching TV. The present study therefore tested the immediate effects of alcohol advertisements on the alcohol consumption of young adults while watching a movie. Weekly drinking, problem drinking, positive and arousal expectancies of alcohol, ad recall, attitude, and skepticism toward the ads were tested as moderators. Methods: An experimental design comparing 2 advertisement conditions (alcohol ads vs. nonalcohol ads) was used. A total of 80 men, young adult friendly dyads (ages 18 to 29) participated. The study examined actual alcohol consumption while watching a 1‐hour movie with 3 advertising breaks. A multivariate regression analysis was used to examine the effects of advertisement condition on alcohol consumption. Results: Assignment to the alcohol advertisement condition did not increase alcohol consumption. In addition, no moderating effects between advertisement condition and the individual factors on alcohol consumption were found. Conclusions: Viewing alcohol advertising did not lead to higher alcohol consumption in young men while watching a movie. However, replications of this study using other samples (e.g., different countries and cultures), other settings (e.g., movie theater, home), and with other designs (e.g., different movies and alcohol ads, cumulative exposure, extended exposure effects) are warranted.     

Myocardial infarction and alcohol consumption: a population-based case-control study

Background and aimCoronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death in industrialized societies. Identifying and characterizing modifiable variables associated with CHD is an important issue for health policy. The aim of the present study was to analyze the association of non-fatal myocardial infarction with total alcohol consumption and type of alcoholic beverage consumed. Preference of the subjects' consumption for beer, wine, or spirits was set at 80% or more of total alcoholic beverage consumption.Methods and resultsA population-based case-control study (244 subjects and 1270 controls) was conducted. Male patients aged 25 to 74 years with first myocardial infarction (MI) were recruited in the same region as the healthy male controls, who were taken from a random sample representative of the Gerona population. Alcoholic beverage consumption during the preceding week was recorded. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association of alcohol consumption and non-fatal MI.Total alcohol consumption up to 30 g per day, adjusted for lifestyle and cardiovascular risk factors, was inversely associated (Odds ratio 0.14; 95% confidence interval 0.06–0.36) with the risk of non-fatal MI. Drinking up to 20 g of alcohol through wine, beer and spirits significantly decreased the adjusted risk of MI. Higher alcohol intake did not substantially reduce the risk. A preference for spirits was correlated with a significantly increased risk of non-fatal MI (P < 0.05).ConclusionModerate alcohol consumption, independent of the type of alcoholic beverage, was associated with non-fatal MI risk reduction.     

Endothelial dysfunction and high cardiovascular risk profile in severe alcoholics improve only partially following a medium-term alcohol withdrawal

Background: Little is known about brachial artery flow‐mediated vasodilatation (FMD) in active and medium‐term withdrawing heavy alcoholics (HA). Methods: FMD and some parameters of cardiovascular (CV) risk were measured in 29 HA (average alcohol intake 135, range 86 to 215 g per day) at baseline and after a 9 ± 7 months withdrawal and in 35 teetotalers. Results: HA showed baseline impaired maximal % FMD (8.5 ± 5.4 SD vs. 14.9 ± 7.4, <0.001 vs. teetotalers), higher systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure (+24 mm Hg, <0.001; +15 mm Hg, <0.01), uric acid (5.3 ± 1.1 vs. 4.4 ± 0.8 mg/dl, <0.05), high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hs‐CRP; 2.7 ± 2.0 vs. 1.0 ± 0.9 mg/l, <0.02), endothelin‐1 (ET‐1, 0.88 ± 0.36 vs. 0.37 ± 0.10 pg/ml,<0.001), asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA, 0.50 ± 0.21 vs. 0.41 ± 0.12 μmol/l, p < 0.001), homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) (2.3 ± 1.1 vs. 1.2 ± 0.4, <0.001), and urinary 8‐isoprostane (U8‐iso‐PGF2α) (237.2 ± 172.4 vs. 168.5 ± 96.6 pg/mg creatinine, <0.05). After withdrawal, SBP fell by 15 mm Hg, DBP by 11 mm Hg (p < 0.001), and hs‐CRP by 0.94 mg/l (p < 0.02), all remaining still higher than teetotalers (<0.05, 0.01, 0.05 respectively). ET‐1, HOMA‐IR, and U8‐iso‐PGF2α were unchanged (p = NS vs. baseline, <0.05 to 0.001 vs. teetotalers). Maximal % FMD rose (to 10.6 ± 6.2, p < 0.04), but it still remained impaired (<0.04 vs. teetotalers). ADMA increased further to 0.64 ± 0.15 μmol/l (<0.05 vs. baseline, <0.02 vs. teetotalers). Conclusions: HA show marked endothelial dysfunction (ED) and high BP, impaired insulin sensitivity, inflammation, increased oxidative stress, and elevated ET‐1 and ADMA, which are unaffected or only partially reversed by a medium‐term alcohol withdrawal. ED and related abnormalities persist in detoxified alcoholics, thus contributing to a greater CV morbidity and mortality.