Ufa cardiovascular surgeon calls wine benefit a myth

Practicing cardiovascular surgeon Roman Risberg from Ufa 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 medic about the impact of alcohol and other bad habits on the heart.

Recall that Roman Risberg is a practicing cardiovascular surgeon and interventional cardiologist (a doctor specializing in X-ray endovascular diagnosis and treatment) of the highest qualification category at the Republican Cardiology Center. 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 at the Department of Hospital and Cardiovascular Surgery of Bashkir State Medical University (BGMU). He is the author of 65 scientific works, 24 Russian patents for invention, and co-author of 8 monographs. He has been recognized as one of the three best cardiovascular surgeons in Russia based on patient reviews for 2025.

«There is no safe dose. The World Health Organization (WHO) clearly states: risk begins with the first drop. Any talk of the »benefits« of a glass of wine is invalid in light of the 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.

«Upon entering the blood, 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 medic explained to UFA1.RU.

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

«This diagnosis is not a figure of speech. The heart increases in size, its walls thin, 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 the heart can be «holiday.» This is what the medic calls sudden arrhythmias after drinking bouts.

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

In addition, alcohol, as the specialist warns, disrupts the regulation of vascular tone and increases 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 cycle leading to heart attacks and strokes. Treating a heart damaged by alcohol is an extremely difficult task, often palliative. The only effective way to maximally reduce 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,» Risberg lamented. «One of the most destructive is the regular consumption of alcohol 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 arterial pressure, and this is an additional load on the heart. Carbon monoxide displaces oxygen from hemoglobin: tissues, including the myocardium, receive less oxygen — hello, ischemia,» the cardiovascular 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-fold risk of coronary 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 only 23 years old who both drank and smoked. According to the cardiovascular surgeon, this was the youngest patient to end up on his table. For how to monitor your heart, read Risberg«s detailed instructions on UFA1.RU.