Researchers from the UK have found that alcohol consumption in adolescence and adolescence is associated with increased stiffness of the arteries – a precursor of cardiovascular disease. The scientists presented their findings at the congress of the European Society of Cardiology.
An increase in arterial stiffness with age is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and stroke. At the same time, bad habits can also accelerate this negative effect – for example, it was shown that smoking led to this in adolescents.
Researchers from University College London analyzed data on alcohol and tobacco consumption by 1,655 longitudinal study participants aged 17 to 24. Participants' arterial stiffness was assessed at age 17 and 24 by measuring how long it took for the arterial pulse to travel from the carotid to the femoral artery. On average, over the measured period, it increased by 10.3 percent. Moreover, the more young people consumed alcohol, the harder their arteries were later. No such dependence was found for tobacco use.
