The French Paradox -- 20 Years Later: An Update on Alcohol and Cardiovascular Disease

摘要

A program on the American television show "60 Minutes" in 1991 described the so-called "French Paradox," lower rates of coronary heart disease in France despite high levels of the usual cardiovascular risk factors. The paradox was felt by many to relate to the regular consumption of wine by the French. There were many attempts to explain the association by factors other than wine; most of which have been discredited. In the past two decades, a large number of well-done prospective epide-miologic studies and many basic scientific experiments have confirmed a protective effect of alcohol and wine against the development of coronary disease and other diseases of ageing.