ATHEROSCLEROSIS IN ALCOHOLICS

A cohort of alcoholics who underwent a medico-legal autopsy during a 5 -year period was compared with non-alcoholic controls who did not diff er from the alcoholics in selection criteria. The degree of atheroscle rosis in the coronary arteries and the aorta was examined, Alcoholic m en and old women had a significantly lower degree of atherosclerosis i n the coronary arteries, while the opposite was found in young women. In the aorta there was no significant difference in the degree of athe rosclerosis between alcoholics and controls in men. Alcoholic women ge nerally had a lower degree of atherosclerosis in the aorta. The so-cal led U-shaped curve for the relationship between the daily alcohol inta ke and atherosclerosis is described together with some of the investig ations on which it is based. There is much positive evidence for the U -shaped curve, although a causal association has not been proven as ye t. The present results indicate a complex relationship, in which diffe rent confounding factors are likely to play a role.