Binge drinking dangerous for young adults' heart

Young binge drinkers, take note! According to a study, you may have higher heart risks as compared to the non-binge drinkers.

"Compared to previous generations, the pervasiveness, intensity (number of drinks) and regularity (several times per week) of binge drinking may place today's young adult at greater risk for more profound rates of alcohol-attributable harm," said Mariann Piano, study lead author.

"Young adults need to be aware that the consequences of repeated binge drinking may harm their hearts. The risk extends beyond poor school performance and increased risk for accidental injury."

Previous studies have found that binge drinking - often defined as consuming five drinks or more in a row for men (4 or more drinks for women) per occasion within the past 30 days - increases cardiovascular risk among middle-aged and older adults.

But among younger adults aged 18 to 45 specifically, the relationship between binge drinking, blood pressure and metabolic factors remained unclear.

The participants of the study reported non-binge drinking, binge drinking (1-12 times yearly), or frequent binge drinking (more than12 times yearly). Then researchers compared blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels among the three groups.

Researchers found:

-High frequency binge drinking (more than 12 times a year) was reported by 25.1 percent of men and 11.8 percent of women. Binge drinking 12 times a year or less was reported by 29.0 percent of men and 25.1 percent of women.

-Young men who reported repeated binge drinking had higher systolic blood pressure (the force on blood vessels when the heart beats) and higher blood total cholesterol than non-binge drinkers and binge drinking young women.

-Young women who said they binge drink had higher levels of blood sugar level than non-binge drinking women.

-All results persisted even after considering diet and physical activity.

"Implementing lifestyle interventions to reduce blood pressure in early adulthood may be an important strategy to prevent cardiovascular disease later in life," Piano said.

"Young adults should be screened and counseled about alcohol misuse, including binge drinking, and advised on how binge drinking may affect their cardiovascular health," Piano concluded.

The study appears in the Journal of the American Heart Association.