From: "Rich Gauszka" 

'When the scientists linked alcohol use and heart problems, they found
though that the chances of suffering a heart attack were lower among men
who consumed one or two drinks a day.'

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_articl
e_id=425881&in_page_id=1774

Men with high blood pressure can cut their risk of heart attacks by
indulging in a daily tipple, say scientists.

In the UK, around 16 million people - more than one in four - have high
blood pressure, or hypertension.

Traditionally doctors advise sufferers to increase their activity levels,
cut salt consumption and eat fewer high fat foods to reduce the likelihood
of suffering a heart attack, stroke or kidney damage.

Now a new study has suggested they should also recommend patients have a daily drink.

Researchers found men with high blood pressure had a lower risk of heart
attack if they had one or two alcoholic drinks, such as a couple of glasses
of wine, each day.

The discovery adds to evidence of how alcohol in moderation can be good for
the health.

Other studies have shown a daily drink can help boost levels of protective
cholesterol in the blood, cut the risk of heart attacks and may even lead
to a longer life.

The research however is the first to look at whether similar benefits are
seen in people with high blood pressure.

The study was led by Joline Beulens of Wageningen University in the
Netherlands who at the time was a visiting scholar at Harvard School of
Public Health.

Miss Beulens used data on 11,711 men with high blood pressure who were part
of a major study involving those working in the health profession.

Every four years participants filled out a questionnaire including details
of how often they drank beer, red wine, white wine and spirits.

The research team also looked at how many suffered heart attacks, heart
disease and strokes between 1986 and 2002.

During this time a total of 653 heart attacks occurred of which 279 were fatal.

When the scientists linked alcohol use and heart problems, they found
though that the chances of suffering a heart attack were lower among men
who consumed one or two drinks a day.

A drink was defined as being a glass of wine or a single shot of spirits.
Miss Beulens said: "This was the first study to our knowledge that
examined the risk of heart attacks among men with high blood pressure who
drank moderately.

"Men diagnosed with hypertension probably get a lot of advice on how
to change their lifestyle, physical activity and diet.

"This study indicates that if they drink alcohol in moderation they
may not need to change their drinking habits."

However she urged men not to have three drinks a day, as this increases
their blood pressure and risk of an attack.

"Our findings are not a license for men with hypertension to
overindulge," she said.

Because the study only looked at men the authors said it is impossible to
say whether or not the findings also apply to women.

Fellow researcher Kenneth Mukaml, an associate professor at Harvard Medical
School, said people with high blood pressure should discuss their alcohol
intake with their doctor.

"However our results suggest that men with high blood pressure seem to
have the same lower risk associated with moderate drinking that other men
do," he said.

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