Alcohol consumption has historically held and continues to hold an important role in social engagement and bonding for many. People drink to socialise, celebrate and relax. While the producers of alcoholic beverages continue to attract consumers to the pleasurable bliss of alcohol, it is almost impossible to imagine that, adversely, this same celebratory beverage that brings happiness and pleasure, can break the life of its loyal consumers apart.
Drinking alcohol is associated with a risk of developing health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders, including alcohol dependency. Major non communicable diseases such as liver cirrhosis, some cancers including cardiovascular disease, and also injuries resulting from violence and road clashes.
According to the WHO, world wide, 3 million deaths every year results from harmful use of alcohol, this represents 5.3% of all deaths. A significant proportion of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption tends to occur in relatively younger age groups. In the age group of 20- 39 years, approximately 13.5% of the total deaths are alcohol attributable.
Alcohol consumption and its resultant heart damage
This is why Pro Health Foundation craves to emphasise on those damages associated with alcohol consumption which is not usually talked about, yet seriously and painfully destroy consumers health and livelihood.
The foundation seeks to bring to the attention of consumers of alcoholic beverages the risk developing non communicable diseases like cardiomyopathy, which damages the heart due to excessive drinking. Cardiomyopathy is a form of heart disease caused by alcohol abuse; excessive use of alcohol weakens and thins the heart muscles, affecting its ability to pump blood. When your heart is unable to pump blood efficiently, the lack of blood flow disrupts all your body’s major functions.
Shortly put, cardiomyopathy leads to heart failure, resulting in the death of, in this case, the consumer.
Thus, as a foundation, it is our desire to campaign at reducing the intake of alcohol in the country, especially among the youth, and to ensure that the number of heart related diseases arising from the intake of alcohol is reduced by 30% at the close of the year. It is important to note, however, that alcohol effects vary from person to person, depending on a variety of factors which includes; how much you drink, how often you drink, your age, your health status, and your family history. Implying that if a colleague drinks averagely 6 bottles a week and seems medically fine, it does not necessarily apply to you. It is, therefore, helpful to know your drinking ability as well as the other factors mentioned, to keep yourself in check.
Alcohol consumption has historically held and continues to hold an important role in social engagement and bonding for many. People drink to socialise, celebrate and relax. While the producers of alcoholic beverages continue to attract consumers to the pleasurable bliss of alcohol, it is almost impossible to imagine that, adversely, this same celebratory beverage that brings happiness and pleasure, can break the life of its loyal consumers apart.
Drinking alcohol is associated with a risk of developing health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders, including alcohol dependency. Major non communicable diseases such as liver cirrhosis, some cancers including cardiovascular disease, and also injuries resulting from violence and road clashes.
According to the WHO, world wide, 3 million deaths every year results from harmful use of alcohol, this represents 5.3% of all deaths. A significant proportion of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption tends to occur in relatively younger age groups. In the age group of 20- 39 years, approximately 13.5% of the total deaths are alcohol attributable.
ALCOHOL EFFECTS ON THE HEART
This is why Pro Health Foundation craves to emphasise on those damages associated with alcohol consumption which is not usually talked about, yet seriously and painfully destroy consumers health and livelihood.
The foundation seeks to bring to the attention of consumers of alcoholic beverages the risk developing non communicable diseases like cardiomyopathy, which damages the heart due to excessive drinking. Cardiomyopathy is a form of heart disease caused by alcohol abuse; excessive use of alcohol weakens and thins the heart muscles, affecting its ability to pump blood. When your heart is unable to pump blood efficiently, the lack of blood flow disrupts all your body’s major functions.
Shortly put, cardiomyopathy leads to heart failure, resulting in the death of, in this case, the consumer.
Thus, as a foundation, it is our desire to campaign at reducing the intake of alcohol in the country, especially among the youth, and to ensure that the number of heart related diseases arising from the intake of alcohol is reduced by 30% at the close of the year.
It is important to note, however, that alcohol effects vary from person to person, depending on a variety of factors which includes; how much you drink, how often you drink, your age, your health status, and your family history. Implying that if a colleague drinks averagely 6 bottles a week and seems medically fine, it does not necessarily apply to you. It is, therefore, helpful to know your drinking ability as well as the other factors mentioned, to keep yourself in check.
Written by Buobu Evelyn Adjoa
Index number; BACS 21970
Alcohol consumption has historically held and continues to hold an important role in social engagement and bonding for many. People drink to socialise, celebrate and relax. While the producers of alcoholic beverages continue to attract consumers to the pleasurable bliss of alcohol, it is almost impossible to imagine that, adversely, this same celebratory beverage that brings happiness and pleasure, can break the life of its loyal consumers apart.
Drinking alcohol is associated with a risk of developing health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders, including alcohol dependency. Major non communicable diseases such as liver cirrhosis, some cancers including cardiovascular disease, and also injuries resulting from violence and road clashes.
According to the WHO, world wide, 3 million deaths every year results from harmful use of alcohol, this represents 5.3% of all deaths. A significant proportion of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption tends to occur in relatively younger age groups. In the age group of 20- 39 years, approximately 13.5% of the total deaths are alcohol attributable.
ALCOHOL EFFECTS ON THE HEART
This is why Pro Health Foundation craves to emphasise on those damages associated with alcohol consumption which is not usually talked about, yet seriously and painfully destroy consumers health and livelihood.
The foundation seeks to bring to the attention of consumers of alcoholic beverages the risk developing non communicable diseases like cardiomyopathy, which damages the heart due to excessive drinking. Cardiomyopathy is a form of heart disease caused by alcohol abuse; excessive use of alcohol weakens and thins the heart muscles, affecting its ability to pump blood. When your heart is unable to pump blood efficiently, the lack of blood flow disrupts all your body’s major functions.
Shortly put, cardiomyopathy leads to heart failure, resulting in the death of, in this case, the consumer.
Thus, as a foundation, it is our desire to campaign at reducing the intake of alcohol in the country, especially among the youth, and to ensure that the number of heart related diseases arising from the intake of alcohol is reduced by 30% at the close of the year.
It is important to note, however, that alcohol effects vary from person to person, depending on a variety of factors which includes; how much you drink, how often you drink, your age, your health status, and your family history. Implying that if a colleague drinks averagely 6 bottles a week and seems medically fine, it does not necessarily apply to you. It is, therefore, helpful to know your drinking ability as well as the other factors mentioned, to keep yourself in check.
Abusing alcohol can do far more damage than simply leaving a person with a bad hangover. Drinking more than the recommended amount can significantly expose a person to a number of health complications. Prominent among them is alcohol’s negative effects on the heart.
Alcohol consumption can be addictive and increases an individual’s risk of heart related diseases. Research available shows that, 70% of people who consume alcohol in huge quantities suffer from cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, and many other.
The cardiovascular system is affected by alcohol at the time of drinking. Alcohol can cause a temporary increase in heart rate and blood pressure. In the long-term, heavy drinking of alcohol can increase heart rate, high blood pressure, weakened heart muscle and irregular heartbeat. All of which can increase the risk leading to heart attack.
The heart is a very strong organ which begins to form on the 8th day of conception and can be problematic when abused with alcohol. It beats and circulates blood to all parts of the body continuously until you die. Blood is pumped around the body by the heart, from the blood vessels through arteries, capillaries and veins. The blood delivers nutrients and other materials to all parts of the body, including the intake of alcohol, which is absorbed directly into the blood stream mainly through the stomach and small intestine.
Statistics from National cardiothoracic centre Ghana and World Heart Day estimated 17.9 million deaths worldwide are attributed to heart diseases and stroke and it is estimated that by 2025, this figure will reach about 25million in 2012.
Alcohol intake has become hazardous and harmful to the human heart resulting to deaths, diseases and injuries. For this reason, Pro health foundation is on the mission to address poor health and dietary status of the youth and drive sustainable change in the lives of Ghanaians. Pro health Ghana proactively partners with other health institutions like, National health service (NHs), Health focus Ghana (HFG), World Health Organization (WHO) and other NGO with the aim to address the health needs of communities and to add value to healthcare to curtail alcohol syndrome among the youth. In the not distance future, Pro-Health Foundation aims at creating awareness on alcoholism and it negative effects on the heart.
PRO HEALTH FOUNDATION 