One of the biggest controversies surrounding heart disease relates to alcohol. Alcohol and wine in particular, has been used medicinally since ancient times. In modem times, however, it has generally been thought until the past few years that alcohol was bad for people with heart disease. Thinking on this started to change when researchers began to investigate the rather startling paradox that people in France, Greece and other Mediterranean countries who drank wine actually had lower rates of heart disease.

Numerous studies have confirmed that people who drink small amounts of alcohol have lower rates of heart disease than those who drink no alcohol. Gradually the tide of opinion began to turn and today it is generally accepted that moderate amounts of alcohol can help protect against heart disease in men aged over 40 and women past the menopause.

As with so many aspects of coronary heart disease, the alcohol story is far from simple. Alcohol is a drug and, like any drug, it has risks as well as benefits. Scientists are now trying to work out more precisely the point at which the risks of alcohol outweigh its benefits and there is currently a great deal of controversy about what level of consumption is desirable.

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