Comments on: Drinking twice as much reduces heart attack by factor of three? http://www.statsmadeeasy.net/2006/10/drinking-twice-as-much-reduces-heart-attack-by-factor-of-three-2/ A wry look at all things statistical and/or scientific with an engineering perspective. Wed, 08 Feb 2012 07:58:09 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Anonymous http://www.statsmadeeasy.net/2006/10/drinking-twice-as-much-reduces-heart-attack-by-factor-of-three-2/comment-page-1/#comment-31 Anonymous Wed, 12 Sep 2007 15:42:00 +0000 http://www.statsmadeeasy.net/2006/10/drinking-twice-as-much-reduces-heart-attack-by-factor-of-three-2/#comment-31 My 89 year old Aunt had a mild heart attack. We all enjoyed having cocktails together and she enjoyed having a couple when she was in the mood. Is it dangerous for her to have one or two with us when we visit? We live in NY and she in FL My 89 year old Aunt had a mild heart attack. We all enjoyed having cocktails together and she enjoyed having a couple when she was in the mood. Is it dangerous for her to have one or two with us when we visit? We live in NY and she in FL

]]> By: Anonymous http://www.statsmadeeasy.net/2006/10/drinking-twice-as-much-reduces-heart-attack-by-factor-of-three-2/comment-page-1/#comment-21 Anonymous Tue, 12 Dec 2006 19:13:00 +0000 http://www.statsmadeeasy.net/2006/10/drinking-twice-as-much-reduces-heart-attack-by-factor-of-three-2/#comment-21 Research from the 90’s tended to focus on alcohol ingestion rather that source of alcohol ingestion. This may have changed somewhat post 2000 as new information about phytochemicals present in red wines (which are reminiscent of red pigment in tomatoes) has grabbed some scientific and popular attention.<br/><br/>The problem with alcohol related research for heart disease prevention is two fold: 1) how does one discipline one’s self to ONLY and ALWAYS drink one drink per day and 2) the risk of death from alcohol related problems become significant after two drinks per day – alcoholism, liver disease, and probably car accidents.<br/><br/>As a laboratorian, for example, I could tell from blood analysis the next day if alcohol was consumed from liver function tests even if alcohol was consumed at the “two drink” level. Of course, folks in whom I detected a problem could have been “underestimating” their consumption.<br/><br/>So even if more heart attacks could be avoided through increase alcohol consumption, I would expect the offset in deaths from alcoholism would be a strong reason not to tout greater alcohol consumption by any medical professional. Research from the 90’s tended to focus on alcohol ingestion rather that source of alcohol ingestion. This may have changed somewhat post 2000 as new information about phytochemicals present in red wines (which are reminiscent of red pigment in tomatoes) has grabbed some scientific and popular attention.

The problem with alcohol related research for heart disease prevention is two fold: 1) how does one discipline one’s self to ONLY and ALWAYS drink one drink per day and 2) the risk of death from alcohol related problems become significant after two drinks per day – alcoholism, liver disease, and probably car accidents.

As a laboratorian, for example, I could tell from blood analysis the next day if alcohol was consumed from liver function tests even if alcohol was consumed at the “two drink” level. Of course, folks in whom I detected a problem could have been “underestimating” their consumption.

So even if more heart attacks could be avoided through increase alcohol consumption, I would expect the offset in deaths from alcoholism would be a strong reason not to tout greater alcohol consumption by any medical professional.

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