Moderate Alcohol Consumption and the Risk of Sudden Cardiac Death Among US Male Physicians

Abstract

Background —Individuals who consume high amounts of alcohol (>5 drinks/d) have increased risks of ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death (SCD). However, the relationship is less clear for drinkers of light-to-moderate amounts. Methods and Results —We prospectively assessed whether light-to-moderate alcohol drinkers have a decreased risk of SCD among 21 537 male participants in the Physicians Health Study who were free of self-reported cardiovascular disease and provided complete information on alcohol intake at study entry. Over 12 years of follow-up, 141 SCDs were confirmed. After control for multiple confounders, men who consumed 2 to 4 drinks/wk (RR=0.40; 95% CI, 0.22 to 0.75; P =0.004) or 5 to 6 drinks/wk (RR=0.21; 95% CI, 0.08 to 0.56; P =0.002) at baseline had significantly reduced risks of SCD compared with those who rarely or never consumed alcohol. The relationship for SCD was U-shaped ( P =0.002), with the risk approaching unity at ≥2 drinks/d. In contrast, the relationship of alcohol intake and nonsudden CHD death was L-shaped or linear ( P for trend=0.02). Conclusions —In these prospective data, men who consumed light-to-moderate amounts of alcohol (2 to 6 drinks/wk) had a significantly reduced risk of SCD compared with those who rarely or never consumed alcohol.