Cardiothoracic Surgeon Calls Wine Benefits a Myth After 7000 Operations

Practicing cardiothoracic surgeon Roman Risberg has criticized the belief in the benefits of a glass of wine. According to him, it is a widespread myth that is contradicted by scientific research. UFA1.RU spoke with the doctor about the impact of alcohol and other harmful habits on the heart.

Roman Risberg is a practicing cardiovascular surgeon and interventional cardiologist (a physician specializing in radiologic endovascular diagnosis and treatment) of the highest qualification category at the Republican Cardiology Center in Ufa. Since 2009, he has performed about 7000 therapeutic and diagnostic endovascular interventions on the heart and vessels.

He holds a Doctor of Medical Sciences degree and is also a professor in the Department of Hospital and Cardiovascular Surgery at Bashkir State Medical University (BSMU). He is the author of 65 scientific papers, 24 Russian invention patents, and a co-author of 8 monographs. He was recognized as one of the three best cardiothoracic surgeons in Russia based on patient reviews in 2025.

«There is no safe dose. The World Health Organization (WHO) clearly states: risk begins with the first drop. Any talk about the »benefits« of a glass of wine is untenable against the backdrop of overall harm,» said Roman Risberg in a conversation with UFA1.RU.

Moreover, he categorically refuses to call alcohol a food product. The doctor emphasizes that it is a toxic, psychoactive, and addictive substance.

«When entering the bloodstream, ethanol and its main metabolite acetaldehyde have a direct damaging effect on heart muscle cells (cardiomyocytes). Protein synthesis is disrupted, fat accumulates, and the myocardium becomes flabby and weak. This is a direct path to heart failure,» the doctor explained to UFA1.RU.

To support his opinion on the harm of alcohol, he listed the diseases that its consumption leads to. Thus, one of them is alcoholic cardiomyopathy, which is also called «bull»s heart.«

«This diagnosis is not a figure of speech. The heart increases in size, its walls thin out, and it loses the strength to pump blood. Mortality in this condition is catastrophically high. It develops not only in binge drinkers but also with »moderate« but regular consumption,» the doctor said.

Another condition is «holiday heart.» This is what the doctor calls sudden arrhythmias after drinking bouts.

«Alcohol is one of the most powerful provocateurs of rhythm disorders. The risk of developing atrial fibrillation in alcohol consumers is twice as high. The »holiday heart« condition is a direct indication of this danger. It is arrhythmias that often become the cause of sudden cardiac death in young people,» noted Risberg.

Moreover, alcohol, as the specialist warns, disrupts the regulation of vascular tone and increases blood pressure. Systematic consumption leads to persistent hypertension. At the same time, Roman Risberg explains, alcohol damages the inner lining of blood vessels, increases blood clotting and triglyceride levels, accelerating the formation of atherosclerotic plaques.

According to him, this forms a vicious circle leading to heart attacks and strokes. Treating alcohol-damaged hearts is an extremely difficult task, and often palliative. The only effective way to minimize risks is complete abstinence from alcohol.

«This is not a sermon, but a statement of scientific and clinical fact. Every day in the operating room, I see the consequences of thoughtless decisions,» lamented Risberg. «One of the most destructive is regular alcohol consumption for the cardiovascular system. Science leaves no room for illusions here.»

We also asked the professor how another harmful habit — smoking — affects the heart. According to Roman Risberg, it literally kills health.

«Smoking not only increases the risk of lung cancer but also directly damages the heart and blood vessels. Nicotine and combustion products enhance sympathetic activity, increasing heart rate and blood pressure, which is an additional load on the heart. Carbon monoxide displaces oxygen from hemoglobin: tissues, including the myocardium, receive less oxygen — hello, ischemia,» the cardiothoracic surgeon said.

Smoking enhances inflammation and thrombus formation, which increases the risk of heart attack and stroke. According to Risberg, it causes about a third of all deaths from cardiovascular diseases in people under 65, smokers have approximately a 2–4 times higher risk of ischemic heart disease compared to non-smokers. Even passive smoking increases the risk of heart disease by about 25–30%.

Earlier, Roman Risberg told how he operated on a patient aged only 23 years, who both drank and smoked. According to the cardiothoracic surgeon, this was the youngest patient to end up on his table. For more on how to take care of your heart, read Risberg«s detailed guide on UFA1.RU.