Dr. Adrian Baranchuk is a Professor of Medicine at Queen’s University (Kingston, Canada) and a cardiac electrophysiologist. He founded Queen’s Electrophysiology Training Program and serves as Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Electrocardiology. His scholarship spans cardiac arrhythmias, electrophysiology, and the cardiovascular effects of alcohol.

https://deptmed.queensu.ca/people/adrian-baranchuk https://kingstonhsc.ca/research/adrian-baranchuk

In this episode, Dr. Adrian Baranchuk delves into the controversial topic of alcohol consumption and its effects on cardiovascular health. He explains that while light to moderate drinking might offer some cardiovascular benefits, the associated risks should not be overlooked. Dr. Baranchuk discusses the concept of quantifiable risk acceptance and clarifies why alcohol should not be considered a medication for heart health. He evaluates the physiological impacts of alcohol, the recommended consumption guidelines, and the importance of individualized risk assessments. Additionally, Dr. Baranchuk touches upon cultural and social influences on drinking habits and offers his medical perspective on responsible alcohol consumption.

Timestamps:

00:00 – Introduction: The Inevitable Risk of Living

00:24 – Personal Risk Tolerance and Lifestyle Choices

01:39 – Alcohol and Cardiovascular Health

01:55 – The Misconception of Alcohol as Medicine

04:07 – The Risks of Alcohol Consumption

07:19 – Understanding Risk in Everyday Life

16:50 – Alcohol’s Pathophysiological Impact on the Heart

26:57 – Cultural and Social Influences on Alcohol Consumption

28:19 – Conclusion: The Doctor’s Role & Perspective

Key sources for listeners

• Standard drink (5 oz / 148 mL wine): National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

• Moderate-use guidance: CDC — men ≤ 2/day; women ≤ 1/day.

• AHA guidance: Don’t start drinking for health benefits; limit alcohol to help manage blood pressure.

• WHO statement: No amount of alcohol is “safe” for overall health or cancer risk.

Key studies & reviews

• PREDIMED sub-study: Urinary tartaric acid (wine biomarker) linked with lower cardiovascular events at light–moderate intake (European Heart Journal, 2025).

• Alcohol & atrial fibrillation: Meta-analyses and reviews show a dose-dependent increase in AF risk (JACC 2011; Circulation 2017).

• AHA Scientific Statement (2025): Comprehensive review of alcohol use and cardiovascular disease (Circulation).

References (APA)

• American Heart Association. (2024, October 2). Alcohol and heart health.

• American Heart Association. (2024, May 7). Limiting alcohol to manage high blood pressure.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, January 14). About moderate alcohol use.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, June 11). Alcohol and cancer.

• Domínguez-López, I., Lamuela-Raventós, R. M., Razquin, C., et al. (2025). Urinary tartaric acid as a biomarker of wine consumption and cardiovascular risk: The PREDIMED trial. European Heart Journal, 46(2), 161–172.

• Haseeb, S., Alexander, B., Santi, R. L., & Lip, G. Y. H. (2017). Wine and cardiovascular health. Circulation, 136(15), 1434–1448.

• Kodama, S., Saito, K., Tanaka, S., et al. (2011). Alcohol consumption and risk of atrial fibrillation: A meta-analysis. Journal of the American College of Cardiology, 57(4), 427–436.

• National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. (n.d.). What is a standard drink?

• Piano, M. R., et al. (2025). Alcohol use and cardiovascular disease: A scientific statement from the American Heart Association. Circulation.

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