Rates of excessive drinking in the United States are at an all-time high, according to a recent report by Newsweek. And what many drinkers—both young and old–don’t realize is how they may be increasing their risk of cardiovascular problems later in life.
Alcohol and Heart Rate
Alcohol is a depressant that can lower your heart rate to dangerous levels after a period of heavy drinking.
But that’s not the only thing to worry about when it comes to binge drinking’s effects on your heart.
Alcohol and Heart Health
According to new research published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, young adults who frequently binge drink are more likely to have certain risk factors for cardiovascular disease than those who don’t binge drink.
Binge drinking is often defined as consuming five drinks or more in a row for men or four or more drinks for women.
Doing so raises blood pressure and blood cholesterol for men, according to the research, and raises blood glucose levels for women.
The American Heart Association also states that heavy drinking can increase blood pressure, cause heart failure, lead to stroke and produce irregular heartbeats.
So what is safe drinking?
Experts suggest no more than two drinks a day for men and no more than one drink per day for women.
Drinking more than that doesn’t necessarily mean you have a problem with alcohol, but you could be headed in that direction. It’s also becoming more and more clear that alcohol can negatively affect your health, even if you’re not a daily drinker or an alcoholic.
Once you can’t control how much you drink, that’s when you know for sure it’s time to get help.
Alcohol Addiction Treatment
At The Raleigh House in Denver, Colorado, we take a whole-person approach to recovery. That means we don’t just get the alcohol out of your system. We work with you to help you recover psychologically, mentally, spiritually and socially. Rehab isn’t just about giving something up; it’s about getting your life back. Fill out our form or contact us today to learn more about the alcohol addiction treatment program at The Raleigh House.
