Abstract 18866: Binge Alcohol Drinking and Myocardial Infarction Mortality in the United States

Introduction: Although moderate alcohol intake is related to decrease all cause and ischemic heart disease mortality, intake of large amounts at a time remains controversial. Some studies have shown that binge drinking (BD) could have a protective effect. Hypothesis: The aim of this study is to study life-style risk factors associated with cardiovascular mortality in the U.S. population. Methods: The CDC National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network was used to identify age-adjusted mortality rate due to myocardial infarction (MMI) per county among people ≥35 years between 2018 and 2019. County's age-adjusted prevalence of current smoking (CS), binge alcohol drinking (BD), no-leisure time physical activity (NLTPA) and obesity were also identified as potential community life-style risk factors for MMI. Multivariable regression model predicting MMI rate was used to identify relationship between county MMI rate and those 4 life-style risk factors. Results: A total of 3106 counties were included in this study. Median county age-adjusted MMI rate was 61.00 [46.30, 85.38] per 100.000. Median county age-adjusted prevalence of CS was 19.80% [17.40, 22.80], BD 17.70% [15.70, 19.90], Obesity 35.60% [32.70, 38.10], and NLTPA 26.50% [23.30, 30.68]. In a multivariable regression model, CS prevalence above 20% increased the MMI rate by 9.83 (6.82 to 12.84, p<0.001) per 100.000, NLTPA prevalence above 29% increased the MMI rate by 21.57 (18.12 to 25.02, p<0.001) per 100.000, and obesity prevalence above 36% increased the MMI rate by 8.30 (5.54 to 11.07, p<0.001) per 100.000. On the other hand, BD prevalence above 18% was not associated with a significant increase in the MMI rate. [0.67 (-2.11 to 3.44, p=0.638) per 100.000]. Conclusions: Community life-style risk-factors associated with myocardial infarction mortality include current smoking, no-leisure physical activity, and obesity. Alcohol binge drinking did not reduce myocardial infarction mortality rate.