A prospective observational study in the US concluded that in an elderly community-based population, increasing alcohol intake is associated with subtle alterations in cardiac structure and function, with women appearing more susceptible than men to the cardiotoxic effects of alcohol. The study correlated weekly alcohol consumption in 4,466 participants (76±5 years and 60% women, excluding former drinkers and those with significant valvular disease) to the structure and function of the heart. In both genders, increasing alcohol intake (0, ≤7, ≥7 to 14, and ≥14 drinks per week at visit 5 and time updated cumulative average alcohol consumption during 23.6±0.9 years) was associated with larger left ventricular diastolic and systolic diameters and larger left atrial diameter. In men, increasing alcohol intake was associated with greater left ventricular mass and higher E/E′ ratio. In women, increasing alcohol intake was associated with lower left ventricular ejection fraction and a tendency for worse left ventricular global longitudinal strain. The relationship between alcohol consumption and hypertension was U-shaped in both sexes. There was no significant trend in the prevalence of coronary artery disease by intake category. Excessive alcohol consumption is associated with cardiomyopathy while moderate drinking (generally defined as two alcoholic beverages a day for men and one for women) has been reported to be cardioprotective. Source: http://circimaging.ahajournals.org/美国一项前瞻性观察研究得出结论，以老年社区为基础的人群中，增加酒量与微妙的心脏结构和功能改变有关，且女性显得比男性对酒精的心脏毒性更敏感。该研究对4466名参与者（76±5岁，60％的妇女，排除曾饮酒者和有显著瓣膜病者）每周饮酒量与心脏的结构和功能进行了相关性分析。两性增加酒量（在第5次访问期间和23.6±0.9年间经按时更新的累积平均饮酒量每周0，≤7，≥7〜14，≥14份酒精饮料）均与较大的左心室舒张和收缩直径和较大的左心房直径相关。男性增加酒量与较大的左心室质量和较高的E / E’比值有关。女性增加酒量与较低的左心室射血分数和较差的左室整体纵向应变趋势有关。饮酒与高血压之间的关系则在两性均呈U形。各酒精摄入类别中冠心病的流行无显著趋势。过量饮酒与心肌病有关，而有报道适量饮酒（通常定义为男性每天两份，女性每天一份酒精饮料）有心脏保护作用。来源：http://circimaging.ahajournals.org/
