Wine Information Council
23 november 2023
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Drinking patterns of alcohol and risk of major adverse cardiovascular events after an acute coronary syndrome

AIM: To evaluate the risk of alcohol consumption after acute coronary syndromes (ACS).

METHODS: A total of 6557 patients hospitalized for ACS at 4 Swiss centres were followed over 12 months. Weekly alcohol consumption was collected at baseline and 12 months. Binge drinkingBinge drinking (consuming rapidly four or more alcoholic drinks over a short period of time) has bee... was defined as consumption of >/=6 units of alcohol on one occasion. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) were defined as a composite of cardiac death, myocardial infarction, stroke or clinically indicated target vessel coronary revascularization. Cox regression analysis was performed to assess the risk of MACE in patients with heavy (>14 standard units/week), moderate (7-14 standard units per week), light consumption (<1 standard unit/week) or abstinence, and with binge drinking episodes, adjusted for baseline differences.

RESULTS: At baseline, 817 (13.4%) patients reported heavy weekly alcohol consumption. At one-year follow-up, 695/1667 (41.6%) patients reported having at least one or more episodes of binge drinking per month. The risk for MACE was not significantly higher in those with heavy weekly consumption compared to abstinence (8.6% vs. 10.2%, HR 0.97, 95%CI 0.69-1.36) or light consumption (8.6% vs. 8.5 %, HR 1.41, 95%CI 0.97-2.06). Compared to patients with no-binge drinking, the risk of MACE was dose-dependently higher in those with binge drinking with less than one episode per month (9.2% vs 7.8%, HR 1.61, 95%CI 1.23-2.11), or one or more episodes per month (13.6% vs 7.8%, HR 2.17, 95%CI 1.66-2.83).

CONCLUSION: Binge drinkingBinge drinking (consuming rapidly four or more alcoholic drinks over a short period of time) has bee... during the year following an ACS, even less than once per month, is associated with worse clinical outcomes.
The cardiovascular risk of alcohol consumption and of binge drinking episodes after acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has not been established. Our data suggested the following: After ACS, regular weekly alcohol consumption is not associated with the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), except for patients reporting binge drinking who have a two-fold increased risk of MACE within one year of the index event.After ACS, episodes of binge drinking, even less than once per month, are associated with worse clinical outcomes. It is not the frequency, but rather the quantity of alcohol intake in a binge drinking episode, that is associated with worse prognosis in patients after an ACS.
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Additional Info

  • Authors

    Tessitore E.; Branca M.; Heg D.; Nanchen D.; Auer R.; Raber L.; Klingenberg R.; Windecker S.; Luscher T. F.; Carballo S.; Matter C. M.; Gmel G.; Mukamal K. J.; Rodondi N.; Carballo D.; Mach F.; Gencer B.

  • Issue

    Periodical: Eur J Prev Cardiol - Edition: 20231123

  • Published Date

    23 november 2023

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