How Alcohol Can Affect Heart Health

Alcohol is a depressant that can cause an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, and thereby lead to heart disease. By knowing how alcohol can affect your heart health, you can re-evaluate your drinking habits and safeguard your wellbeing.

The health of your heart is dependent on how smoothly your cardiovascular system runs. The cardiovascular system consists of your heart, blood vessels, and blood. Your heart pumps blood to deliver nutrients all throughout your body. When you drink alcohol, it is absorbed into your bloodstream through your stomach and small intestine. It is then metabolized in the liver where enzymes breakdown the alcohol. Typically, your liver processes one ounce of liquor each hour. Any additional amounts of alcohol digested will stay in your bloodstream and tissues until it can be processed. Consuming large amounts of alcohol can increase your risk of both short-term and long-term health risks. Alcohol-related health diseases is a serious issue in Australia. Each year, there are around 5,500 deaths and 157,000 hospital admissions due to alcohol related causes. Although these number have been trending downwards, 20% of people still consume alcohol at unsafe levels . A 2020 study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that one in four Australians over the age of 18 consumed levels of alcohol greater than the Australian Adult Alcohol Guideline. This demographic is twice as high compared to adults outside of Australia. This makes Australians susceptible to alcohol related health problems.

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