Beware of the dangers of binge drinking

Consuming little or no alcohol during the week does not mean you can "save up" for Friday night. Binge drinking — irregular bouts of heavy consumption — is especially dangerous for your heart and increases your risk of a stroke. Here's how to protect yourself.

• In Canada, 24 per cent of men and seven per cent of women binge drink at least once a month.
• About 75 per cent of the alcohol consumed in the USA is imbibed during binge drinking, with half of all binge drinkers aged 18 to 20.
• If you regularly drink enough to be intoxicated, you increase your risk of dangerously abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure, strokes and sudden death — even if you have no pre-existing heart disease.

• In Canada, consuming at least five alcoholic drinks at one sitting is considered bingeing.
•  In the USA, when men have five or more drinks, or women drink four or more, in two hours, it is considered binge drinking.

• Each episode causes a surge in blood pressure. If you do it regularly, you may develop high blood pressure which is especially likely to promote atherosclerosis, doubling your risk of a heart attack.
• If you regularly consume six or more servings at a single sitting (that is, within a six-hour period), you are twice as likely to have a stroke as a non-drinker.

• Have something to eat before you go out — food slows the process of alcohol entering the bloodstream.
• Pace yourself: Drink slowly and alternate alcohol with water.
• Order light or low-alcohol beers.
• If you drink hard liquor, take single shots with plenty of mixer.
• Need an excuse, other than the truth? Say you're driving or taking medication.

If you're wondering if your drinking has crossed the line, answer the following questions:

• Have you ever felt you should cut down on your drinking?
• Have people annoyed you by criticizing your drinking?
• Have you ever felt bad or guilty about your drinking?
• Have you ever had a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover?

One "yes" answer suggests a possible alcohol problem. More than one "yes" answer means it is highly likely that a problem exists.

If you think that you might have an alcohol problem, it is important to see a doctor or other health care provider right away. They can help you determine if a drinking problem exists and plan the best course of action. You can potentially save your own life.