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Light-to-moderate alcohol consumption and risk of sudden cardiac death in women

Stephanie E Chiuve1, Eric B Rimm, Kenneth J Mukamal

  • 1Center for Arrhythmia Prevention, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. schiuve@hsph.harvard.edu

Heart Rhythm
|July 20, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Light to moderate alcohol consumption shows a U-shaped association with sudden cardiac death (SCD) risk in women, with the lowest risk observed at 5.0-14.9 g/day. Low alcohol intake may lower SCD risk in women.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiovascular Health
  • Epidemiology
  • Alcohol Research

Background:

  • Moderate alcohol intake is linked to reduced coronary heart disease (CHD) risk, but its effect on sudden cardiac death (SCD) is not well-established.
  • While heavy alcohol use may increase SCD risk in men, light-to-moderate intake might decrease it; however, data for women are lacking.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To examine the association between alcohol consumption and the risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) specifically in women.
  • To compare the risk of SCD with the risk of other forms of coronary heart disease (CHD) in relation to alcohol intake.

Main Methods:

  • A prospective cohort study was conducted involving 85,067 women from the Nurses' Health Study, all free of chronic diseases at the study's outset.
  • Alcohol intake was systematically recorded every four years using questionnaires.
  • The primary outcomes assessed were sudden cardiac death (SCD), fatal coronary heart disease (CHD), and nonfatal myocardial infarction.

Main Results:

  • A U-shaped relationship was observed between alcohol intake and SCD risk, with the lowest risk occurring in women consuming 5.0-14.9 grams of alcohol per day.
  • Compared to abstainers, women drinking 5.0-14.9 g/day had a multivariate relative risk of 0.64 (95% CI: 0.43-0.95) for SCD.
  • In contrast, the association between alcohol intake and fatal or nonfatal CHD risk showed a more linear trend.

Conclusions:

  • The relationship between light-to-moderate alcohol intake and sudden cardiac death (SCD) in women follows a U-shaped curve, with the lowest risk at 5.0-14.9 g/day.
  • Low levels of alcohol consumption do not appear to increase SCD risk and may potentially offer a protective effect in women.
Abstract

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