In cardiomyocyte mitochondria as well as other mitochondrial types, such imbalances could lead to further decreases in cellular respiration and oxidative phosphorylation. Evidence of oxidative stress is found after short periods of alcohol consumption (2 to 18 weeks), at least in animal models. These data suggest that antioxidant defense mechanisms that attempt to protect the heart against oxidative damage appear to be initiated soon after drinking alcohol. Also, as noted below, data from other studies demonstrate the protective role of administered antioxidants, such as a synthetic compound that mimics the native superoxide dismutase enzyme, called a superoxide dismutase mimetic. This suggests a direct or indirect role for ethanol-mediated oxidative stress in the heart (Jiang et al. 2012; Tan et al. 2012). Finally, in studies of people from certain Eastern European countries, investigators have failed to find a cardioprotective effect with any level of ethanol consumption (Britton and McKee 2000).
Key facts about statins and alcohol
An interaction can occur because one substance causes another substance to have a different effect than expected. Interactions can also occur if you have certain health conditions. If you have symptoms of liver injury (such as nausea, vomiting, dark-colored urine, light-colored stools, stomach pain, loss of appetite, fever, rash, itching, yellow skin or whites of the eyes, extreme tiredness, flu-like symptoms) contact your doctor immediately.
Acute versus Chronic Alcohol Consumption
Vascular wall oxidative stress also is a key mechanism in ethanol-induced HTN. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between production of free radicals and the body’s ability to detoxify or fight off their harmful effects through neutralization by antioxidants. Various studies with animals and humans indicate that ethanol can increase the development of reactive oxygen species (ROS), leading to increases in redox-signaling pathways and decreases in protective antioxidant levels. Alcohol also can increase levels of co-enzymes or reducing equivalents (e.g., reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate NADPH), which lead to increases in ROS formation and decreases in eNOS activity (Ceron et al. 2014). Several excellent reviews offer more detailed assessments of vascular cellular mechanisms (Cahill and Redmond 2012; Husain et al. 2014; Marchi et al. 2014; Toda and Ayajiki 2010).
That said, having the occasional drink while on Lipitor should not cause harm in people who do not have liver problems and are generally healthy. But nearly all find that when they switch to a different statin, their symptoms resolve. According to the National Center for Health Statistics, 93% of adults in the United States taking a cholesterol medication in 2012 were taking a statin. The hormetic effects of long-term and regular alcohol consumption in CVD will be briefly discussed below and are summarized in Table 2. Unfortunately, the vast majority of epidemiological studies and clinical trials linking alcohol consumption and CVD are performed in caucasic males and females to a lesser extent. Therefore, the results may not be extrapolable to non-White, non-caucasic populations.
Can alcohol affect a cholesterol test?
Data derived from systematic reviews and meta-analyses suggest that alcohol-dose and CV-health relationships differ for various CV conditions. For example, certain levels of alcohol consumption that lower risk for CHD may increase it for other CV conditions, such as stroke. In addition, data from studies using new research methods, including Mendelian randomization, suggest that the relationship between low-to-moderate alcohol consumption and cardioprotection merits more critical appraisal (Holmes et al. 2014).
- The CV (and overall) health effects of drinking are both acute and chronic (accumulative) and are strongly determined by the quantity and pattern of alcohol intake.
- Despite the progress in standardizing measurement of alcohol, studies still vary in how they define the different levels of drinking, such as low-risk or moderate and heavy drinking.
- Statins are being evaluated for their ability to reduce the worsening of liver disease in people with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
- In some cases, they may recommend taking Zetia and Lipitor together.
- In most investigations, this means consuming more than 5 standard drinks on a single occasion for men and more than 4 standard drinks for women.
A healthcare professional can test your cholesterol levels to determine whether they’re currently within a healthy range, as well as assess other potential heart disease risk factors. For some people taking statins, consuming small to moderate amounts of alcohol may be safe. For people with coexisting conditions like liver disease, no amount of alcohol consumption may be safe. Investigators have used a variety of noninvasive tests to evaluate the acute effects of alcohol consumption on myocardial function and hemodynamics in healthy humans. As with isolated animal heart experiments, some investigators have found that acute alcohol exposure (blood alcohol levels 40 to 110 mg%) depresses myocardial systolic function in humans (Delgado et al. 1975; Lang et al. 1985; Timmis et al. 1975).
Ethanol-induced changes may be related to oxidative or nonoxidative pathways of ethanol metabolism. More than one mechanism may be activated and may lead to the multitude of ethanol-induced sun rock marijuana changes in cellular proteins and cell function. As reviewed in the text, data from pharmacologic and transgenic approaches revealed an important role for oxidative stress and the hormone angiotensin II. The way in which alcohol consumption has been measured and categorized varies, sometimes making it challenging to compare data among studies. More studies today report alcohol consumption in terms of either “drinks” or grams/units of ethanol per day or week, and alcohol consumption is measured by self-report.
Alcohol intake affects cholesterol levels differently depending on the level and frequency of intake. Although you may think of cholesterol as unhealthy, it’s essential for your health. For example, it makes up the membrane surrounding your body’s cells and is necessary to produce vitamin D and hormones such as estrogen and testosterone (1). If you’re prescribed a statin, you may be able to continue drinking alcohol.