Binge drinkers may be at higher risk for heart disease than regular drinkers

Binge drinking may up the risk for heart disease, according to a new study that examined drinking cultures in Ireland and France and their possible link to serious heart problems such as heart attack, coronary death and persistent acute chest pain.

Researchers compared drinking habits among 2,405 men from Belfast and 7,373 men from France over a 10-year period. At the beginning of the study they were free of heart disease and self-reported how much they drank. The participants were placed into four groups: those who never drank, former drinkers, regular drinkers, and binge drinkers. Regular drinking was defined as drinking at least one day a week, and drinking less than 1.8 ounces of alcohol on one occasion. Binge drinking was defined as “excessive alcohol intake over a short period on one occasion each week.”

Those who engaged in binge drinking had almost twice the chance of heart attack or dying from heart disease as did regular drinkers.

Drinking patterns differed between countries. Binge drinking was much more prevalent in Belfast--there, 9.4% of men were binge drinkers compared with 0.5% in France. French men spread their alcohol consumption out over time: 75% drank alcohol every day, while in Belfast 11.9% drank every day. But 72.2% drank one, two or three days a week. Men in Belfast had an average alcohol consumption two- to three-fold higher on weekends than men in France.

Also, French men favored wine much more over other alcoholic beverages, while those in Belfast preferred beer and spirits, with far fewer choosing wine. Some studies have shown that a modest amount of wine may reduce heart disease risk.

Among study participants, drinking more was linked with higher smoking levels, higher total cholesterol, triglyceride levels and elevated blood pressure.

The study was released Wednesday in the British Medical Journal.