Frequency of alcohol consumption and morbidity and mortality: The Yugoslavia Cardiovascular Disease Study

The association of frequency of alcohol consumption with the seven-year incidence of coronary heart-disease and with mortality both from all causes and from specific causes was examined in a cohort of 11 121 Yugoslav males aged 35-62 at the time of their initial examination. Consumption of alcohol seemed to be inversely related to incidence of coronary heart-disease morbidity and mortality, but not to risk of dying. Those consuming alcoholic beverages most frequently were at increased risk of death from stroke and accidents or violence. The frequency of alcohol consumption was associated with high blood-pressure and serum cholesterol levels. The associations with coronary heart disease and death from all causes could not be fully explained by these covariates.