6. Cardiovascular system effect ethanol

Excessive chronic ethanol use is associated with an increased incidence of hypertension, anemia, and dilated cardiomyopathy. Acute drinking for several days (“binge” drinking) can cause arrhythmias. However, the ingestion of modest quantities of ethanol (10–15 g/day) raises serum levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and may protect against coronary heart disease.