Up until now dozens of studies have been done on the link between alcohol consumption on the one hand, and the occurrence of heart and circulatory diseases and mortality as a result of these diseases on the other. They are divergent studies, the most important of which we will set out here.

1. Case control studies

Various case control studies have demonstrated that moderate alcohol consumption brings about a lower coronary risk in comparison with not drinking at all.
Of the more than ten studies that have appeared up until now, only one could not demonstrate such an effect. In addition one study showed that moderate drinking increased the risk of heart and coronary disease. The studies were done on both men and women from various age groups. The risk seems to fall by 30% to 60% depending on the population studied.

2. Longitudinal studies

The largest longitudinal studies that have investigated the link between alcohol consumption and heart and circulatory disease all confirmed that the risk of heart and circulatory disease was lower in moderate drinkers. This type of study found a risk reduction of 30% to 50% in both men and women. Two longitudinal studies have been unable to confirm the protective effect of alcohol.

3. Prospective studies or cohort studies

A British prospective study is worth mentioning which was done over a period of 13 years among more than 12,000 doctors. This study showed that the total mortality is the lowest with doctors who drink one to two (unit) glasses of alcohol a day (beer or wine). When they drink more than four glasses, then the mortality risk increases. This is attributed to the increase in alcohol related diseases (liver disease, oesophagus disease, psychiatric problems).

J and U shaped link

It is assumed that the link between heart and circulatory disease and alcohol consumption is J shaped, while the link between alcohol intake and mortality through heart and circulatory disease is rather U shaped.

With regard to mortality due to heart and circulatory disease, the risk starts to rise as of four glasses per day. This threshold for the prevention of heart and circulatory disease is much more difficult to determine. The number of drinks on a daily basis with a still beneficial effect on heart and circulatory diseases varies from two to even six 25 cl glasses depending on the study. This is thus still unclear.

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