Your trusted source

Middle-aged people who have a drink a day cut their chances of developing heart failure in later life by a fifth, the Daily Mail reports, citing researchers.

A US study of nearly 15,000 people found drinking up to seven drinks a week is linked with a 20 per cent lower risk of men developing heart failure in the future when compared to people who did not drink at all.

There was a 16 per cent cut in risk for women drinkers, says a report in the European Heart Journal.

Previous research has found drinking modest amounts of alcohol protects heart health, but this is the first study to look in depth at heart failure.

More than 700,000 Britons over the age of 45 live with heart failure, which occurs when damage to the heart leaves it too weak to pump blood efficiently round the body. Around 100,000 a year are thought to die from it.

Heart failure causes symptoms of fatigue, breathlessness, increased heart rate and swollen ankles, and it can lead to serious complications.

A team led by Dr Scott Solomon, Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, analysed data from 14,629 people aged between 45-64 years between 1987 and 1989.

The volunteers were questioned about alcohol consumption at regular intervals.

During the 25-year follow-up period 1,271 men and 1,237 women developed heart failure.

The lowest rate of heart failures occurred in those drinking up to 7 drinks per week and the highest rate was among former drinkers.

A drink was defined as containing 14g of alcohol, equivalent to approximately one small (125ml) glass of wine, just over half a pint or a third of a litre of beer, and less than one shot of liquor such as whisky or vodka.

Former drinkers had the highest risk of developing heart failure – up to 19 per cent increased risk compared to abstainers.

There was an increased risk of death of 47 per cent for men and 89 per cent of women who reported consuming 21 or more drinks a week at the start of the study.

Professor Solomon said: 'These findings suggest that drinking alcohol in moderation does not contribute to an increased risk of heart failure and may even be protective.

'However, heavy alcohol use is certainly a risk factor for deaths from any cause.’