Iran Press/ Europe: "At the World Heart Federation, we decided that it was imperative that we speak up about alcohol and the damages to health, as well as the social and economic harms because there is an impression in the population in general, and even among health care professionals, that it is good for the heart," said Beatriz Champagne, chair of the advocacy committee that produced the report.
"It is not, and the evidence has increasingly shown that there is no level of alcohol consumption that is safe for health," said Champagne, who is also executive director of the InterAmerican Heart Foundation, an organization dedicated to the prevention of heart diseases and stroke in the Americas.
"In brief, our position is that studies showing a significant cardioprotective effect of alcohol consumption have by-and-large been observational, inconsistent, funded by the alcohol industry, and/or not subject to randomized control. Furthermore, any potential cardioprotective effect is negated by the well-documented risks and harms, rendering our judgment that no amount of consumption can be considered good for heart health," Champagne added.
The World Health Federation is a Geneva-based health advocacy organization that represents hundreds of heart associations worldwide. It released the new policy brief, "The Impact of Alcohol Consumption on Cardiovascular Health: Myths and Measures," to counter reports that some alcohol is OK or even good for heart health.
Drinking alcohol increases the risk of several cardiovascular problems, including coronary disease, heart failure, high blood pressure, stroke, and aortic aneurysm, according to the report. Any amount of alcohol, not just heavy drinking, can lead to loss of healthy life, it says.
"Over the past several decades the prevalence of the cardiovascular disease has nearly doubled, and alcohol has played a major role in the incidence of much of it," the report says.
Cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in the world, disproportionately affecting people of low socioeconomic status. In 2019, nearly 2.4 million deaths -- not just heart-related -- could be attributed to alcohol, the report said. Alcohol negatively affects mental health, as well.
Alcohol is forbidden in Islam because it is considered an intoxicant, which technically means poison. The Holy Quran in several verses forbids intoxicants because one is not meant to harm oneself in any way or form.
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