JAMA: 2010-05-26, Vol. 303, No. 20, Author in the Room™ Audio Interview

Interview with Kenneth J. Mukamal, MD, MPH, MA, author of A 42-Year-Old Man Considering Whether to Drink Alcohol for His Health. Summary Points:1. Careful alcohol histories are needed for all patients, particularly to identify binge drinking, which is frequent among moderate and especially younger drinkers. 2. Even moderate alcohol consumption has important and plausible health effects based on short-term trials and observational studies, including lower risk of heart disease presumably via higher HDL-cholesterol and higher risk of breast cancer (presumably via higher levels of estrone and DHEA sulfates). 3. Given these points, even controlled alcohol consumption is unlikely to benefit younger drinkers, but is a reasonable point of discussion for middle-aged and older adults, especially as a launching point for education about problem drinking and the potential risks and benefits of including alcohol as part of a healthy diet in older age.