Binge Drinking and Heart Disease

Binge drinking may increase risk for heart attack, heart disease.
Bloomberg News (11/24, von Schaper) reports, "The French habit of drinking wine almost daily is less taxing to the heart than the Irish custom of downing an equivalent amount of beer on one or two nights a week," according to a study published Nov. 23 in the British Medical Journal. "Middle-aged men in Belfast had almost double the risk of developing heart disease, compared with French drinkers who spread their consumption over a week." Bloomberg News notes that the study "bolsters the findings of previous studies suggesting a link between ischemic heart disease...and drinking patterns."
WebMD (11/23, Hendrick) reported that after examining the "alcohol drinking patterns of 9,758 men in France and Belfast over a 10-year period," researchers found that "men who binge drink have nearly twice the risk of heart attack or death from heart disease than regular drinkers over a 10-year period." For study purposes, "binge drinking was defined as excessive alcohol consumption, or the equivalent of four or five drinks in a short period of time such as a weekend day."
HeartWire (11/23, Nainggolan) reported that an accompanying editorial noted, "Middle-aged men should be made aware that if they are irregular heavy drinkers, the possible cardioprotective properties of alcohol consumption may not apply to them, and in contrast they may be putting themselves at increased risk of having a heart attack."
Alcohol-related problems send nearly 1,000 college-age students to EDs each year. The Boston Globe (11/23, Johnson) "White Coat Notes" blog reported, "Alcoholic drinks that contain caffeine are banned from store shelves in Massachusetts, but new data shows that even before concerns about Four Loko amped up, alcohol-related problems sent nearly 1,000 college-age students to the emergency room each year." According to investigators with the Boston Public Health Commission, the "largest number of alcohol-related visits were by 18- and 19-year-olds. The number of visits was highest from September to November, early in the school year, and least common during the summer."
Analysis: Children can benefit from weight training.
The New York Times (11/24, Reynolds) "Well" blog reports that in a "Pediatrics review, researchers with the Institute of Training Science and Sports Informatics in Cologne, Germany, analyzed 60 years' worth of studies of kids and weightlifting. The studies covered boys and girls from age 6 to 18." The investigators "found that, almost without exception, children and adolescents benefited from weight training. They grew stronger." Meanwhile, "older kids, particularly teenagers, tended to add more strength than younger ones, as would be expected, but the difference was not enormous."