Effects of alcohol on the cardiovascular system in women 

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality for women. Therefore, understanding the potential interaction between sex and alcohol consumption on the cardiovascular system is important. A review published in the journal Alcohol Research, Current Reviews, summarises the relationship between alcohol consumption and common CVDs in women and highlights potential differences from men.
Except for risk of hypertension, no sex-related effects of alcohol consumption on the risk for coronary heart disease and stroke have been reported, and data on the sex-related effects on risk for peripheral arterial disease are limited. For women, alcohol consumption has a J-shaped relationship with hypertension. About 1 to 2 standard drinks per day is associated with lower risk for the development of hypertension, whereas for men, the relationship is relatively linear. In the area of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, the prevalence is greater for men, but women may develop alcoholic cardiomyopathy at a lower lifetime level of alcohol consumption. Overall, data support that 1 to 2 standard drinks per day for women and men is associated with a lower risk of CVD, and higher daily amounts may increase the risk of CVD.
The authors comment that biologic sex is an important determinant of health and disease. Over the past several decades, research has revealed sex differences in the epidemiology, risk, clinical manifestations, pathophysiology, and progression of many diseases, including cardiovascular disease (CVD) and alcohol-induced pathologies.
The review presents the effects of alcohol consumption on the cardiovascular system in women, focusing on prevalent cardiovascular conditions such as hypertension, coronary heart disease (myocardial infarction), stroke, and peripheral arterial disease. The cardiovascular disorders are briefly defined, sex differences in the prevalence and prognosis of the disorders are discussed, followed by examination of the sex differences in alcohol’s effects on those conditions. This review also reports on the sex differences in the prevalence, clinical manifestations, and outcomes associated with alcoholic cardiomyopathy.
Source: Piano MR, Thur LA, Hwang CL, Phillips SA. Effects of Alcohol on the Cardiovascular System in Women. Alcohol Res. 2020;40(2):12. Published 2020 Jul 30.