Proved: alcohol good for the heart

The positive role of moderate alcohol consumption to prevent cardiovascular disease – are firmly established fact. Well, if the heart attack has already occurred, if the cardiologists had already cleaned clogged arteries?

As a new study done in the University of Heidelberg in Germany, and in this case, alcohol plays a protective role and reduces the risk of restenosis – re-narrowing of blood vessels that occurs in 30-40% of patients within the first four months after surgery. “This law was first established in our university,” says cardiologist Feraydun Nirumand who examined his colleagues 225 male patients undergoing balloon angioplasty to restore patency of the coronary arteries of the heart.
The researchers, who published their findings in the journal Heart (Heart), found that patients who did not consume alcohol after the operation, more often clogged arteries, worse with cholesterol and was reduced cardiac function compared with those who drank 50 grams of alcohol , a bottle of wine or 2.5 liters of beer a week. In addition, non-drinker often had to repeat angioplasty.

“Experimental data also show that alcohol prevents the division of smooth muscle cells within the vascular tissue and contribute to their re-narrowing” – says Dr. Nirumand. 42% of patients who abstain from alcohol, need to be re-angioplasty, whereas among those consuming alcohol was only 23%.