Effect of long-term alcohol habit on coronary morphology and blood flow in males

AIM:To investigate the angiographic characteristics of coronary artery in males with long-term alcohol habit. METHODS: Included in this study were males who underwent coronary angiography from July 2008 to July 2012 in our hospital and were found to have no coronary artery stenosis and no diseases that cause coronary artery ectasis. According to their alcohol consumption, subjects were divided into three groups: heavy alcohol consumption, light/moderate alcohol consumption, and no alcohol consumption. The results of coronary angiography were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: The coronary artery diameter in heavy alcohol consumption group was significantly wider than in the light/moderate alcohol group and no alcohol group (P<0.05). In the heavy alcohol consumption group, the rate of coronary artery ectasias (18%) was significantly higher than those in the light/moderate alcohol group (2%) and no alcohol group (1%)(P<0.05) and the rate of slow flow (29%) was significantly higher than in the light/moderate alcohol group (4%) and no alcohol group (3%) (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Long-term heavy alcohol consumption can change the normal form of the coronary artery and increase the incidence of coronary artery dilatation and slow blood flow rate, thus affecting myocardial blood supply.