Tuesday, April 23, 2024
Alcohol is a psychoactive drug. It has some useful effects if consumed in a moderate amount but excessive use of it can lead to fatal health conditions. It requires careful balancing. 
Alcohol is a psychoactive drug. It crosses the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in CNS and affects functioning of the brain be it altering mood, behavior change, mood elevator, excitement, or a sense of being happy. Alcohol has become a part of our society. Other than celebratory, it is being used for medicinal purposes also. Every special occasion calls for a party and in parties, the most consumable drink is alcohol especially if it's a men's party. Party is considered to be incomplete without alcohol. Many people are occasional drinkers, some of them are regular and some are addicted.
Alcohol can be harmful in patients with health problems like diabetes, hypertension, cholesterol, cardiovascular diseases, and pregnant women. Some medicines are also contraindicated with alcohol, so they shouldn't be consumed along with alcohol.
Moderate consumption of alcohol
According to a study, few drinks can be good for your heart. Yes, you heard it right but only a few drinks that to not applicable to everyone. As per the study, regular consumption of light to moderate doses of alcoholic beverages (1 drink/day for women or up to 2-drinks/day for men) has been associated with reduced incidence of cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in cardiovascular patients. The definition of moderate drinking is something of a balancing act. Moderate drinking sits at the point at which the health benefits of alcohol outweigh the risks. This is the definition used by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Alcohol may be useful in these ways
It raises HDL or "good" cholesterol. It prevents blood from clotting. This can be good or bad. It may hold off heart attacks, but it could make you bleed more easily. It helps prevent damage caused by high LDL, the "bad" cholesterol.Regular or excessive use of alcohol can damage your heart and can lead to a disease of the heart muscle known as Cardiomyopathy. It can also lead to elevated blood pressure.
Binge drinking - Four or more drinks for women and five or more for men in about 2 hours, can cause irregular heart rhythms called arrhythmias. Avoid binge drinking (excessive indulgence in drinking alcohol). So, if you have not taken your regular dose, avoid consuming it all together to compensate for other days.
Harmful effects
On liver - It can cause inflammation of the liver, alcoholic hepatitis and can lead to scarring of the liver called cirrhosis.
Raises blood pressure - One notable effect of excess alcohol is, it can raise blood pressure. Patient with heart failure patients should keep their blood pressure lower, as it will make their heart work less.
Cancer - Heavy alcohol used has been linked to various cancers of the mouth, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, breast, liver, colon, and rectum.
Contribute to obesity - Mixed drinks and cocktails, in particular, tend to have high sugar amounts, so they’re caloric.
Effect on the cardiac system - Many studies show an inverse association between light to moderate drinking and risk of heart attack, ischemic (clot-caused) stroke, peripheral vascular disease, sudden cardiac death, and death from all cardiovascular causes. The effect is fairly consistent, corresponding to a 25-40% reduction in risk. However, increasing alcohol intake to more than 4 drinks a day can increase the risk of hypertension, abnormal heart rhythms, stroke, heart attack, and death.
Heart disease is very much prevalent in Indian societies and is because of many reasons. One of them is the excessive intake of alcohol. At least we can do what is there in our hands. Limit your use of alcohol. Follow a healthy lifestyle, implicate dietary changes if necessary. Live healthy, live happily.
Consuming alcohol requires a careful balancing of benefits and risks.
