Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 23, 2026
Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial-Dependent Flow-Mediated Vasodilation of the Brachial Artery in Clinical Research
Published on: October 22, 2014
Moderate alcohol consumption and risk for angina pectoris or myocardial infarction in U.S. male physicians
C A Camargo1, M J Stampfer, R J Glynn
1Channing Laboratory, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Insights
Moderate alcohol consumption is linked to a reduced risk of myocardial infarction and angina pectoris in men. This study supports the cardiovascular benefits of moderate drinking for apparently healthy males.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Epidemiology
- Alcohol Research
Background:
- Previous research suggests moderate alcohol intake may lower myocardial infarction risk, but this is debated.
- The impact of moderate drinking on angina pectoris risk is largely unknown.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between moderate alcohol consumption and the risk of angina pectoris and myocardial infarction.
- To clarify the cardiovascular benefits of moderate alcohol intake in apparently healthy men.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study design was employed.
- Data were collected from 22,071 apparently healthy male physicians aged 40-84 in the United States.
- Annual questionnaires were used to gather information over a follow-up period through 1994.
Main Results:
- A significant inverse association was found between alcohol intake and the risk of both angina and myocardial infarction.
- Men consuming one drink per day had a 31% lower risk of angina and a 35% lower risk of myocardial infarction compared to those drinking less than one drink per week.
- These findings remained significant after adjusting for potential confounding factors.
Conclusions:
- Moderate alcohol consumption is associated with a decreased risk of developing angina pectoris.
- Moderate drinking also appears to reduce the risk of myocardial infarction in apparently healthy men.
- The study provides evidence supporting a protective cardiovascular effect of moderate alcohol intake.
Background:
Although previous studies have found that moderate alcohol intake decreases the risk for myocardial infarction, many clinicians question the validity of this finding. Furthermore, the relation of moderate drinking to the risk for other events, such as angina pectoris, is not known.
Objective:
To determine whether moderate alcohol intake decreases the risk for angina pectoris or myocardial infarction in apparently healthy men.
Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Setting:
United States.
Participants:
22,071 apparently healthy male physicians who were 40 to 84 years of age between 1981 and 1984.
Measurements:
Responses to annual questionnaires.
Results:
Through 1994, 1368 cases of new-onset angina and 690 cases of myocardial infarction had been documented. In multivariate analyses that controlled for several potential confounders, alcohol intake was strongly and inversely associated with the risk for each event (P for trend < 0.001). Compared with men who consumed less than one drink per week, those who consumed one drink per day had relative risks of 0.69 (95% CI, 0.59 to 0.81) for angina and 0.65 (CI, 0.52 to 0.81) for myocardial infarction. These associations were seen when either nondrinkers or occasional drinkers were used as the reference group.
Conclusions:
Moderate drinking decreases the risk for angina pectoris and myocardial infarction in apparently healthy men.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:26Coronary Artery Disease IV: Preventive Measures
01:30Angina I: Introduction
01:29Angina III: Clinical Manifestations and Assessment
01:26Angina IV: Management
01:20Angina V: Nursing Management
01:26Atherosclerosis III: Management