Drink but don't get drunk.

Women who get drunk at least once a month have a six-time higher risk of suffering a heart attack, compared to moderate drinkers, and three times more than abstainers.

A new study published in the May issue of Addition, a monthly scientific journal, says too much drinking can trigger the risk of heart attacks in women.

Researchers at the State University of New York at Buffalo, interviewed 320 women aged between 35-69 who were hospitalised for heart attack, and compared them with 1,565 controls. Both groups were generally light drinkers.

They found that 13% were life-long abstainers who drank less than one glass per month. The group of drinkers consumed an average of 2.3 drinks each daily.

Although moderate alcohol consumption can protect against heart disease by raising HDL levels and preventing blood clots , drinking too much alcohol can raise the levels of some fats in the blood (triglycerides) and lead to other well-known health risks such as high blood pressure, heart failure, and an increased calorie intake which in turn leads to obesity, breast cancer and stroke.

It could also lead to other diseases of other organs such as the liver, stomach and pancreas.

The Singapore Heart Foundation cautions women not to drink alcohol excessively. One glass of red wine a day can be good for the heart, but any more than that will be detrimental.

Tips for drinking moderately

Tips on moderate drinking from Ms Jamie Liow, a nutritionist with the Singapore Heart Foundation.

1. Eat before you drink - having a meal before drinking will delay absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream. However it will not prevent you from getting drunk, so do not be deceived by the misconception that one will not get drunk if a full meal is eaten before drinking.

2. Know your limits - women's metabolism rates for breaking down alcohol are slower than men, so it is recommended that they drink less than men.

3. Drink moderately - One person's moderation can be another person's upper limit for drinking.The recommended moderate alcohol intake for women is one drink per day with one non-alcoholic day per week.

4. Avoid taking medication with drinks - alcohol does not mix well with a lot of medication. People who are on medication should not drink.