Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
Is It Safe To Consume Alcohol Despite Heart Attack And Heart Damage?
Question: My husbands heart on the left side suffered a heart attack and is functioning at 40%. What are the dangers of alcohol use specifically beer. What is the added risk with hydrocodone for his back? We are debating this.
Brief Answer:
best to avoid alcohol
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for using Healthcare Magic. If your husband's heart has only 40% function, there has been significant damage. Since alcohol is technically a poison to the body, it could cause further damage. Alcohol is also known to cause direct damage to the heart. For these reasons it would be best to avoid any type of alcohol. An occasional beer or glass of wine would probably be okay, but not more than that. Pain pills like hydrocodone are okay. Anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or Aleve are actually more dangerous than narcotics for pain in his case. They have been associated with increased risk for heart attacks. You should check with his cardiologist about what drugs he is safe to take and what he should avoid. There may be interactions with drugs he's already taking so this would be important information to know.
Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions I would be happy to answer them. I
best to avoid alcohol
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thanks for using Healthcare Magic. If your husband's heart has only 40% function, there has been significant damage. Since alcohol is technically a poison to the body, it could cause further damage. Alcohol is also known to cause direct damage to the heart. For these reasons it would be best to avoid any type of alcohol. An occasional beer or glass of wine would probably be okay, but not more than that. Pain pills like hydrocodone are okay. Anti inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen or Aleve are actually more dangerous than narcotics for pain in his case. They have been associated with increased risk for heart attacks. You should check with his cardiologist about what drugs he is safe to take and what he should avoid. There may be interactions with drugs he's already taking so this would be important information to know.
Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions I would be happy to answer them. I
Note: For further follow up on related General & Family Physician Click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Shanthi.E
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
