BACKGROUND: Most studies suggest that alcohol use decreases the risk of coronary heart disease in men, however, this association has not been well established in women.
METHOD: This study investigates the relationship between alcohol use and ischemic heart disease (IHD) incidence among women aged 45 to 74 years in the Epidemiologic Follow-up Study of the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. The cohort was free of heart disease at baseline. During the follow-up period (mean, 13 years), 884 IHD cases were identified through hospital records, reported hospital stays, or death certificates.
RESULTS: Women reporting any amount of alcohol use had about a 20% decrease in risk of IHD incidence compared with abstainers. Using a Cox regression model to adjust for known cardiovascular risk factors, this relative risk of IHD remained essentially unchanged. The greatest reduction in the risk of IHD (36% to 39%) was among women who consumed about half to two drinks per day compared with abstainers.
CONCLUSIONS: This study of a nationally representative sample with a mean follow-up of 13 years and a substantial number of IHD cases suggests that moderate alcohol use decreases the risk of IHD. However, the risk and benefits of moderate alcohol consumption need to be viewed within a broader perspective especially since the potentially harmful effects of alcohol have been well documented.
