Drinking too much alcohol can be harmful to your cardiovascular sys- tem in numerous ways: it can contribute to high blood pressure, raise your level of harmful triglycerides, and add empty calories that contribute to overweight or obesity. Excessive drinking or binge drinking can lead to stroke, diseases of the heart muscle (cardiomyopathy), and disturbances of the rate or rhythm of the heartbeat (arrhythmias).
Some recent research suggests that a person who has a pattern of frequent, heavy drinking, especially over a lifetime, is much more likely to develop insulin resistance syndrome, a dangerous cluster of risk factors for heart disease. Also, heavy episodic drinking is a harmful pattern. Studies support the guidelines recommending moderate alcohol consumption: if you do drink, it’s much healthier to have one drink a day than to have seven drinks on the weekend.
If you enjoy drinking alcohol occasionally, the heart-healthy recom- mendation is straightforward: drink in moderation, which means no more than one drink a day if you are a woman, or two drinks a day if you are a man. One drink is de?ned as one 12-ounce can of beer;
11?2 ounces of 80-proof liquor such as vodka, gin, Scotch, whiskey, and  others; 1 ounce of 100-proof liquor; or a 4-ounce glass of wine. Drink- ing with food may be better, because food slows down the absorption of alcohol. A person who drinks alcohol with a meal usually drinks more moderately.
You may have read about ?ndings that moderate consumption of alcohol, especially red wine, has health bene?ts. It now appears that all forms of alcohol are associated with these bene?ts. Studies have suggested that moderate drinking raises HDL cholesterol, helps prevent blood clots, reduces the risk of heart attack and the most common type of stroke (ischemic), and reduces blockages in the arteries in the legs, among other ?ndings. Men over 50 years of age appear to derive the greatest cardiovascular bene?t. Study is focused on certain components in red wine or dark beer called ?avonoids and other antioxidant compounds, which may contribute to the effect on HDL cholesterol. A sub- stance called resveratrol, found in red wine, may be the agent that reduces blood clot formation.
Alcohol is certainly not the only way to derive these bene?ts, how- ever. Some of these substances can also be found in grapes or red grape juice, and antioxidants are found in many fruits and vegetables Exercise increases HDL. Aspirin can reduce blood-clotting. Researchers are still not sure whether wine, beer, or liquor is more bene?cial, and the interaction of other lifestyle factors is still in question. Even drinking in small amounts can dim your alertness and affect your coordination and reaction time, increasing the chances of accidents and falls. When you weigh the possible bene?ts of drinking alcohol against the many serious risks, there is no reason to start drinking every day if you do not already.