Alcohol and Peripheral vascular disease

Peripheral vascular disease; PVD; PAD; Arteriosclerosis obliterans; Blockage of leg arteries; Claudication; Intermittent claudication; Vaso-occlusive disease of the legs; Arterial insufficiency of the legs; Recurrent leg pain and cramping; Calf pain with exercise
Peripheral artery disease is a common disorder that usually affects men over age 50. People are at higher risk if they have a history of:

• Abnormal cholesterol
• Diabetes
• Heart disease (coronary artery disease)
• High blood pressure (hypertension)
• Kidney disease involving hemodialysis
• Smoking
• Stroke (cerebrovascular disease)

The possibility that alcohol may protect against CHD has led researchers to hypothesize that alcohol also may protect against peripheral vascular disease. In a 1985 analysis of data from the Framingham Heart Study, alcohol was not found to have a significant relationship, either harmful or protective, with regard to peripheral vascular disease (Kannel and McGee, 1985).

Other studies have failed to find a significant relationship between alcohol consumption and the narrowing of blood vessels that define peripheral vascular disease as well. However, a recent study produced much more encouraging results. In an analysis of the 11-year follow-up data from more than 22,000 men enrolled in the Physicians’ Health Study, researchers found that daily drinkers who consumed seven or more drinks per week had a 26 percent reduction in risk of peripheral vascular disease (Camargo et al., 1997).

This study took into account the effects of smoking, exercise, diabetes, and parental history of myocardial infarction. Two other studies found inconsistent results with regard to gender. One study of middle-aged and older men and women in Scotland showed that as alcohol consumption increased, the prevalence of peripheral vascular disease declined in men, but not in women (Jepson et al., 1995).

In contrast, among people with non-insulin-dependent diabetes, alcohol was associated with a lower prevalence of peripheral vascular disease in women but not in men (Mingardi et al., 1997). Clearly, the relationship of alcohol consumption to peripheral vascular disease requires further study

Posted in: alcohol