A little alcohol every day may increase life expectancy and drinking small amounts of wine (about a half a glass a day) was linked to the lowest levels of cardiovascular death and death from all causes. Long-term, light alcohol intake compared to no alcohol intake was associated with a 36 percent lower relative risk of all-cause death and a 34 lower relative risk of cardiovascular death.

Dutch researchers presented these findings of a study into the effects of alcohol consumption and death risk at the American Heart Association’s 47th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Diseae Epidemiology and Prevention.

“Our study showed that long-term, light alcohol intake among middle-aged men was associated not only with lower cardiovascular and all-cause death risk, but also with longer life expectancy at age 50,” said Martinette T. Streppel, lead author of the study and a Ph.D. student in the Division of Human Nutrition at Wageningen University and National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) in Bilthoven, The Netherlands. “Furthermore, long-term light wine consumption is associated with a further protective effect when compared to that of light-to-moderate alcohol intake of other types.”

The study followed 1,373 men born between 1900 and 1920 over a period of 40 years.

Light wine intake associated with longer life expectancy in men

If there was an emergency and someone was having a heart attack, could you perform life-saving CPR?

New from the American Heart Association is CPR Anytime, a learn-at-home program teaching basic CPR skills through a Skills Practice DVD and an inflatable practice mannequin. The home instruction takes 22 minutes, as opposed to the formal 4 hour training classes.

The program’s effectiveness was studied by Science Direct, to see if training for CPR could be adequately accomplished through a home learning program.

Older adults learned the fundamental skills of CPR with this training program in about half an hour. If properly distributed, this type of training could produce a significant increase in the number of lay responders who can perform CPR.

Family and Friends CPR Anytime American Heart Association

Heart disease is America’s No.1 killer. Each year more than one million Americans have a heart attack and more than half die, usually within the first hour and before reaching the hospital.

Know the warning signs of a heart attack and if you have any of the symptoms, call 9-1-1. Do not delay because you think it might be indigestion. Getting early treatment can prevent or limit the damage to the heart and prevent death.

Here are the Warning Signs of Heart Attack according to the American Heart Association:

*Chest discomfort. Most heart attacks involve discomfort in the center of the chest that lasts more than a few minutes, or that goes away and comes back. It can feel like uncomfortable pressure, squeezing, fullness or pain.

* Discomfort in other areas of the upper body. Symptoms can include pain or discomfort in one or both arms, the back, neck, jaw or stomach.

* Shortness of breath. May occur with or without chest discomfort.

* Other signs: These may include breaking out in a cold sweat, nausea or lightheadedness

If you think you or someone else is having a heart attack, get emergency help, call 9-1-1. They have trained personnel with necessary drugs and equipment. The sooner you get help and treatment, the greater the chances you can avoid permanent heart damage or death.

Please read:

American Heart Association - Heart Attack, Stroke and Cardiac Arrest Warning Signs