Heart Health

Ask the doctor: Beta blockers and alcohol

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People have different definitions of a "glass" of wine. The standard definition of a drink is 5 fluid ounces of wine, a 12-ounce can of beer or a 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof liquor. Many experts agree that up to two alcoholic drinks per day for men, and one for women, is heart healthy. More than that starts to be unhealthy for the heart. That's why it's important to realize that most wine glasses hold much more than 5 fluid ounces. Some red wine glasses hold as much as 20 ounces or even more! Thus you should know how much wine you mean by two glasses, because you might be drinking more wine than is recommended regardless of which beta blocker you take.

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