Alcohol

Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk for heart disease in a variety of ways:

• It can raise your blood pressure.
• It can produce irregular heartbeats.
• It can contribute to obesity.

In people who drink a moderate amount of alcohol (an average of one drink per day for women), the risk for heart disease may be lower than in nondrinkers. However, it's not recommended that nondrinkers start using alcohol or that drinkers increase the amount they currently drink.