[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The 15th-21st November this year is Alcohol Awareness Week, a seven-day awareness campaign by Alcohol Change UK designed to get people across the UK thinking about the impact excessive drinking can have on their life, health and relationships.

Here at WEL Medical, we’re especially concerned with the health part – particularly the problems excessive drinking can cause for your heart.

Of course, that leads us to ask…

What is classed as excessive drinking in the UK?

In the UK, excessive drinking (otherwise known as binge drinking) is classed by the NHS as drinking eight units of alcohol or more for men, or six units for women, in a single session.

Eight units is roughly the equivalent of men drinking five 300ml bottles of 5% strength beer. Six is the equivalent of two pints of 5% strength beer or two large 12% strength glasses of wine.

As you can see, the limits are lower than you might think, and going over them regularly can spell trouble for the health of your heart.

How does alcohol damage your heart?

When you drink alcohol, it’s absorbed directly into the bloodstream via your stomach and small intestine. This causes your heart rate to go up and your blood pressure to increase. With a very occasional drink this might not be an issue since the changes are temporary. But regular excessive drinking can lead to these changes becoming more permanent, along with other problems like weakened heart muscles and an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia).

In time, excessive drinking can also go on to damage your arteries and blood vessels – a condition known as cardiovascular disease (CVD); more well-known as heart disease.

Alcohol Awareness Week: The problems drinking can cause

Recent British Heart Foundation statistics tell us that around 7.6 million people in the UK live with a heart or circulatory disease. These conditions contribute to around a quarter of all deaths in the UK each year. That’s 160,000 a year, at an average of 460 a day, or one life lost from heart disease every three minutes.

So the short answer to the question of “How does alcohol damage your heart?” is that it causes heart disease, which is one of the UK’s biggest killers.

Specifically, it can lead to:

Heart attacks

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][vc_single_image image=”2509″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]One of the problems excessive drinking can cause is a spike in the body’s fat levels. This increases your cholesterol, which can clog the arteries and eventually lead to a heart attack. Around 1.4 million people alive in the UK have survived a heart attack, which has about a 70% survival rate when treated promptly.

Strokes

Excessive alcohol intake also increases the risk of arteries supplying blood to the brain becoming either blocked (an ischemic stroke) or bleeding or tearing (a haemorrhagic stroke). Strokes kill around 34,000 people each year and are the UK’s leading cause of severe disability.

Heart failure

Regular binge drinking is also associated with an increased risk of heart failure, which affects around 900,000 people in the UK. And the evidence suggests that the more you drink, the higher your chances of developing heart failure. In fact, one American study suggests that people who have 21 drinks or more per week (an average of three a night) are 48% more likely to experience it than non-drinkers.

Sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)

[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_single_image image=”2510″ img_size=”full”][vc_empty_space height=”16px”][vc_column_text]Finally, there’s the problem excessive drinking can cause that’s closest to our own hearts here at WEL Medical – figuratively, and literally.

Heart problems caused by drinking have been shown to directly correlate with high incidences of death from a sudden cardiac arrest. Indeed, one study conducted across 24 towns in England, Scotland and Wales found that heavy drinkers showed a higher rate of SCAs than of fatal heart attacks.

That’s especially concerning when you consider BHF statistics indicate there are more than 30,000 instances of SCAs each year, with a survival rate of just 10%. It’s something we are dedicated to changing like people’s lives depend on it. Because, in a very real way, they actually do.

Will you consider the dangers of drinking this Alcohol Awareness Week?

The statistics above make it obvious what can happen if you drink too much on a regular basis – and it doesn’t paint a pretty picture.

However, it’s important to note that when used in moderation, alcohol can be an enjoyable and natural part of adult life. We’re certainly not advocating for total abstinence. We do however believe in being mindful with drink, while also being prepared for its potential impacts.

Would you know what to do if someone you know experienced a sudden cardiac arrest?

At WEL Medical, we proudly distribute some of the most advanced and easy-to-use lifesaving equipment around, to anyone who needs it – from sports clubs to workplaces, leisure centres, national trust sites and even neighbourhood watch schemes.

To get a feel for how to help someone experiencing an SCA, read our posts on CPR guidance and using a defibrillator.

And to find the right defibrillator for your needs, check out our helpful defibs buyer’s guide or get in touch to discuss your needs.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

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