Post by pixie on Mar 26, 2004 0:29:27 GMT -5
Cambridge, Mass. — According to a new study on female alcohol use and blood pressure,
young women who consume two or three alcoholic drinks a week are much more fun to do
research on than women who do not consume alcohol.
This woman reduced her risk of high blood pressure, and increased her interest among
researchers, just by consuming a few drinks. Oh, and the report also found that women
who have a few drinks each week are less likely to develop high blood pressure. Whatever.
The report, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, studied drinking patterns
and blood pressure among 70,000 nurses between the ages of 25 and 42.
Dr. Eric Shinauer, who headed the study for Harvard's School of Public Health, put the
findings in perspective. "Alcohol, 70,000 nurses, and us," he said. "Is that cool or what?"
Shinauer and his colleagues — Dr. Andrew Sporata and Dr. Chandra Palava — conceded their
initial grant was to study salt consumption. However, upon reflection, the trio decided
that adjusting the parameters would dramatically heighten their interest in the research.
Explained Palava: "What it came down to was, did we want to say, 'Here young lady, have
some salt and let's see what happens,' or, 'Here young lady, have a drink and let's see
what happens.'"
"We're scientists, but we're not dead," he added.
In fact, Shinauer theorized there would be much more interest in studying women's health
issues if alcohol were involved. Reaction to his study seems to bear this out, as already,
several leading universities say they will attempt to verify the group's findings.
At Stanford University, epidemiologist Bruce Cawthorn said his department is very interested
in testing Shinauer's conclusion that women who have more than 10 alcoholic drinks a week
increase their risk of developing high blood pressure by 30 percent. But more importantly,
he added, his staff is "totally stoked" by the concomitant finding that these same women
were also, statistically speaking, a blast.
Shinauer, however, insisted their most valuable conclusion was that researchers could do
variations on this type of study for years. "We could do how alcohol affects blood pressure
among female flight attendants, or how alcohol affects blood pressure among female strippers.
We are so golden."
Palava, meanwhile, said he is working on "the Holy Grail" for this area of study — a report
on how drinking among young women affects drinking among young women. "We just have to
figure out some statistically significant reason for doing it," he said.
Palava bristled, however, at the suggestion that researchers should also study the effect
of alcohol on young men. "Jesus, we're not gay," he said.
young women who consume two or three alcoholic drinks a week are much more fun to do
research on than women who do not consume alcohol.
This woman reduced her risk of high blood pressure, and increased her interest among
researchers, just by consuming a few drinks. Oh, and the report also found that women
who have a few drinks each week are less likely to develop high blood pressure. Whatever.
The report, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, studied drinking patterns
and blood pressure among 70,000 nurses between the ages of 25 and 42.
Dr. Eric Shinauer, who headed the study for Harvard's School of Public Health, put the
findings in perspective. "Alcohol, 70,000 nurses, and us," he said. "Is that cool or what?"
Shinauer and his colleagues — Dr. Andrew Sporata and Dr. Chandra Palava — conceded their
initial grant was to study salt consumption. However, upon reflection, the trio decided
that adjusting the parameters would dramatically heighten their interest in the research.
Explained Palava: "What it came down to was, did we want to say, 'Here young lady, have
some salt and let's see what happens,' or, 'Here young lady, have a drink and let's see
what happens.'"
"We're scientists, but we're not dead," he added.
In fact, Shinauer theorized there would be much more interest in studying women's health
issues if alcohol were involved. Reaction to his study seems to bear this out, as already,
several leading universities say they will attempt to verify the group's findings.
At Stanford University, epidemiologist Bruce Cawthorn said his department is very interested
in testing Shinauer's conclusion that women who have more than 10 alcoholic drinks a week
increase their risk of developing high blood pressure by 30 percent. But more importantly,
he added, his staff is "totally stoked" by the concomitant finding that these same women
were also, statistically speaking, a blast.
Shinauer, however, insisted their most valuable conclusion was that researchers could do
variations on this type of study for years. "We could do how alcohol affects blood pressure
among female flight attendants, or how alcohol affects blood pressure among female strippers.
We are so golden."
Palava, meanwhile, said he is working on "the Holy Grail" for this area of study — a report
on how drinking among young women affects drinking among young women. "We just have to
figure out some statistically significant reason for doing it," he said.
Palava bristled, however, at the suggestion that researchers should also study the effect
of alcohol on young men. "Jesus, we're not gay," he said.