Should people with heart failure avoid alcohol?

Heart failure is a chronic progressive condition that affects the heart muscle preventing it from pumping enough blood for the body's requirement. The body helps to deliver oxygen to body parts including the heart muscle for it to keep pumping. An artery that supplies oxygen to the heart muscle will cause a heart attack if it gets little or no oxygen supply.

Consuming alcohol raises the level of fat in the blood causing a gradual build-up of cholesterol and plaque that clogs the arteries. A clot forms if a piece of plaque breaks and block an artery. The clot causes a heart attack. Alcohol increases the risk of another attack for people with heart failure.

Does Alcohol Have Any Benefit To People With Heart Failure?

Some studies over the past years conclude that drinking moderate measures of alcohol can reduce the risk of cardiovascular conditions. Some researchers say that the benefit comes from red wine because it has antioxidant properties that reduce the risk of heart disease. Some of these components are also available in grapes and red grape juice.

However, in the absence of direct comparison trials to determine the specific effect of wine or other types of alcohol on the risk heart disease, the benefits might be a result of other factors like a healthy diet and physical activity.

Heart Failure Risks Associated With Alcohol

Drinking alcohol especially in high amounts can increase the risk of heart failure because of these factors:

Increase heart rate

Heart rate is the number of times that a heart beats in a minute. Alcohol can cause much variability in the way a heart beats and the number of times. Heavy drinking regularly can cause an increase in heart rate (tachycardia) due to problems in electrical signals that produce a heartbeat. Regular episodes of tachycardia cause varying complications depending on the frequency, severity, and length but it is known to cause blood clots that lead to heart attack.

Weakened heart muscle

The heart generates pressure for blood to circulate by flowing in one direction around the body. The force and frequency of the heartbeat depend on the body oxygen and nutrient needs. The anatomy of a heart is complicated, but its ability to contract depends on the muscle layer within its wall. The heart muscle called myocardium can get damage (cardiomyopathy) with substantial consumption of alcohol as one of the causes. Cardiomyopathy causes weakening of the heart muscle and enlarging of the four heart chambers resulting to weaker contractions. Weaker contractions make it harder for blood circulation in the body. Cardiomyopathy can with time lead to congestive heart failure which occurs when it does not pump enough to fulfill the needs of the body.

Increased blood pressure

Blood pressure is the force the blood places against the walls vessels that carry it. High BP occurs when blood pumps with more than ordinary force through arteries. Drinking alcohol on one occasion can cause a temporary increase in the blood pressure, but regular drinking beyond the recommendation increases the risk of hypertension. Doctors recommend alcohol-free life or a restricted amount that does not exceed two standard drinks a day even for people who do have heart failure. Consuming more than two drinks every day will quickly increase blood pressure and increase the risk of hypertension.

Irregular heartbeat

A change in heart rhythm (arrhythmia) occurs due to changes in the heart's electrical system. The cause can be blocked signals, irritable heart cells, abnormal pathways, stimulants, and medicine. Arrhythmias can make a heartbeat to be too fast or slow and eventually cause a cardiac arrest. Alcohol induces the occurrence of acute cardiac rhythm disturbances such as atrial fibrillation. Some people refer to them as "holiday heart" as they are disturbances that are frequent after holiday season or weekends when people consume more alcohol.

Although some people recommend minimal drinking of red wine or other alcoholic beverages, WHO insists on a healthy diet and physical activity to reduce the danger of heart failure.