Drinking alcohol in moderation may protect one against heart attack. Although this is not an encouragement for people to start drinking because alcohol consumption in the long run is bad for health, studies show that one alcoholic drink in 1 or 2 days might reduce the risk of a heart attack.
According to a report published in the Journal of American College of Cardiology, moderate drinking of alcohol increases the concentration of high density lipoproteins (HDL) in the blood. HDL prevents clogging of the blood vessels by combining with cholesterol in the body. Cholesterol accumulates in the blood vessels shunting blood to and from the heart, in patients at risk for heart trouble.
In another similar study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, light or moderate drinkers also had an advantage in case they suffered from a heart attack - acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI). The study concluded that individuals who consumed alcohol occasionally for a year preceding AMI had a lower mortality rate than those who either abstained from alcohol or were heavy drinkers.
Though both the studies outline the benefits of moderate alcohol consumption, they categorically advise against consuming alcohol in stead of other preventive activities like exercising, controlling cholesterol and stopping smoking. In the long term, heavy drinkers may suffer from conditions like degeneration of heart muscles and liver cirrhosis, apart from more immediate dangers like loss of consciousness while driving.
Journal of the American Medical Association, April 18, 2001