Drinkers less likely to die from heart attacks

Drinking an average of 14 alcoholic drinks a week appears to make people with heart disease less likely to die from a heart attack than nondrinkers. A lower risk of heart failure among older people is also associated with low to moderate drinking. Two studies published in the Journal of the American Medical Association revealed these findings. Results were similar for both men and women. Researchers cautioned that a person should consult with a physician before starting to drink or raising consumption to 14 drinks a week. "Our study does not answer the question whether alcohol is good for you," says Kenneth Mukamal, a Harvard Medical School researcher who led the study. "[Our] findings are consistent with a lower risk of death from drinking a limited amount of alcohol, but we don't know if people who are nondrinkers would also have a lower risk of death if they started drinking alcohol."