Does a Drink a Day Keep the Doctor Away?

摘要

Observational data from prospective epidemiologic studies .consistently show lower risk of coronary artery disease (CAD) among moderate consumers of alcohol, and these findings are supported by a huge amount of basic research data for both alcohol and the polyphenols in certain beverages and by limited intervention studies in humans. Since large-scale clinical trials of the effects of alcohol on CAD events have not yet been done, current advice regarding alcohol intake must be based on observational and mechanistic data. At present, scientific evidence is very strong supporting the hypothesis that the inverse association of alcohol to CAD is causal, and not due to confounding by other lifestyle factors; similar beneficial effects have been seen in diverse cultures with varying drinking habits, among both healthy and unhealthy subjects, and among subjects with differing socioeconomic status. When included as one component of a healthy lifestyle, regular, moderate drinking for middle-aged and older persons who do not have contraindications to alcohol use may well have a role in the prevention of CAD.