Enjoying one pint or glass of wine a day does ‘NOT trigger heart disease’
Hungarian scientists found drinking no more than the 14 units recommended each week, had no influence on a person's risk of heart disease
A DAILY glass of wine, or a pint, does not harm your heart, new research claims.
But, before you reach for a "cheers", experts say it doesn't have any health benefits either.
No more than the recommended 14 units a week - of any booze - was found to have no influence on a person's risk of coronary artery disease.
It is the most common type of heart disease, and one of the leading causes of death in the UK.
It is caused by the gradual build-up of fatty deposits on the walls of the arteries, making the blood vessels narrower and increases the risk of a blockage stopping blood from reaching the heart.
It comes after another study found the absence of a specific gene increases a person's risk of heavy drinking.
Heavy boozing is known to increase the risk of coronary heart disease because it increases a person's blood pressure and weakens their heart muscles.
But, past research had suggested that light drinking may actually reduce a person's risk of heart disease.
The British Heart Foundation said there may be some heart health benefits for women over the age of 55 as long as they have no more than five units in a week.
But regular drinking and its association with coronary heart disease remains controversial.
We analysed the effect of different types of alcohol – beer, wine and hard liquor – on the presence of coronary heart disease, but no relationship was found
Dr Júlia Karády
To explore the issue - the type of alcohol consumed, and presence of coronary plaques - Hungarian researchers used CCTA - coronary computed tomography angiography.
This involves an injection of iodine and CT scanning, to assess the relationship between drinking and disease.
Study author Dr Júlia Karády at Semmelweis University in Budapest said: "When we compared consumption between patients who had coronary artery plaques and those who had none, no difference was detected.
"Evaluating the relationship between light alcohol intake - maximum of 14 units per week - and presence of CAD, we again found no association.
"Furthermore, we analysed the effect of different types of alcohol - beer, wine and hard liquor - on the presence of CAD, but no relationship was found."
Dr Karády added that while no protective effect was detected among light drinkers, as previously thought, no harmful effects were detected either.
She said: "CCTA is an excellent diagnostic modality to non-invasively depict the coronary wall and identify atherosclerotic lesions.
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"Furthermore, we're able to characterise plaques and differentiate between several types.
"Prior studies used cardiovascular risk factors - like high cholesterol levels - and cardiovascular outcomes to study the effects of alcohol, but our study is unique in that we analysed both drinkers and non-drinkers using CCTA, which may shed some light on how alcohol may or may not contribute to the development of fatty plaques in the arteries of the heart."
The researchers studied 1,925 patients, both drinkers and non-drinkers.
Dr Karády said 40 per cent of patients reported regular alcohol consumption, with a median of 6.7 alcohol units consumed weekly.
A pint of strong lager contains three units of alcohol, whereas the same volume of low-strength lager has just over 2 units.
The study is being presented today at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.
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