Alcohol consumption and mortality from all causes, coronary heart disease, and stroke: results from a prospective cohort study of Scottish men with 21 years of follow up

Hart, C.L. , Davey Smith, G., Hole, D.J. and Hawthorne, V.M. (1999) Alcohol consumption and mortality from all causes, coronary heart disease, and stroke: results from a prospective cohort study of Scottish men with 21 years of follow up. British Medical Journal, 318(7200), pp. 1725-1729.

Abstract

Objectives: To relate alcohol consumption to mortality. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: 27 workplaces in the west of Scotland. Participants: 5766 men aged 35-64 when screened in 1970-3 who answered questions on their usual weekly alcohol consumption. Main outcome measures: Mortality from all causes, coronary heart disease, stroke, and alcohol related causes over 21 years of follow up related to units of alcohol consumed per week. Results: Risk for all cause mortality was similar for non-drinkers and men drinking up to 14 units a week. Mortality risk then showed a graded association with alcohol consumption (relative rate compared with non-drinkers 1.34 (95% confidence interval 1.14 to 1.58) for 15-21 units a week, 1.49 (1.27 to 1.75) for 22-34 units, 1.74 (1.47 to 2.06) for 35 or more units). Adjustment for risk factors attenuated the increased relative risks, but they remained significantly above 1 for men drinking 22 or more units a week. There was no strong relation between alcohol consumption and mortality from coronary heart disease after adjustment. A strong positive relation was seen between alcohol consumption and risk of mortality from stroke, with men drinking 35 or more units having double the risk of non-drinkers, even after adjustment. Conclusions: The overall association between alcohol consumption and mortality is unfavourable for men drinking over 22 units a week, and there is no clear evidence of any protective effect for men drinking less than this.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Hart, Dr Carole and Davey Smith, Professor George and Hole, Prof David
• Authors: Hart, C.L., Davey Smith, G., Hole, D.J., and Hawthorne, V.M.
• Subjects: R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Health & Wellbeing > Public Health; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences
• Research Group: Midspan
• Journal Name: British Medical Journal
• Journal Abbr.: BMJ
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• ISSN: 0959-535X
• ISSN (Online): 1756-1833
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 1999 BMJ Publishing Group
• First Published: First published in British Medical Journal 318(7200):1725-1729
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher