Alcohol consumption in relation to factors associated with ischemic heart disease: a cotwin control study

Moderately alcohol-discordant male twin pairs, aged 45-65 years, have been examined with respect to ischemic heart disease (IHD) and associated factors. No conclusion can yet be drawn with regard to manifest or subclinical IHD, while significant disparities were found with regard to systolic and diastolic blood pressures, high cigarette consumption, hyperglycemia, and serum cholesterol; the greater number of findings of pathological values were found in the high alcohol-consumption as compared to the low alcohol-consumption cotwins. These findings offer a possible explanation for the increased number of reports showing a connection between high consumption of alcohol and occurrence heart disease.