Women who drink moderate amounts of beer appear to have a reduced risk of suffering a heart attack compared to those who drink heavy amounts or no beer at all.

Swedish researchers monitored the progress of 1,500 women between 1968 and 2000, by which time the women were aged between 70 and 92. The study charted the relationship between alcoholic intake and the incidence of heart attack and other conditions, such as cancer and diabetes.

During the 32-year follow-up, 345 of the women developed cancer, 185 suffered a heart attack, 162 suffered a stroke and 160 developed diabetes.

The study found that women who consumed beer once or twice a week had a 30% reduced risk of suffering a heart attack compared to women who did not consume beer, or consumed it every day or several times a week.

The researchers said that their findings suggest that moderate beer drinking appears to offer some protection against heart attacks.

"Previous research suggests that alcohol in moderate quantities can have a certain protective effect, but there is still uncertainty as to whether or not this really is the case. Our results have been checked against other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, which substantiates the findings.

"At the same time, we were unable to confirm that moderate wine consumption has the same effect, so our results also need to be confirmed through follow-up studies," the researchers from Sahlgrenska Academy commented.

Meanwhile, the study also found that those who consumed high amounts of spirits had a 50% increased risk of dying from cancer compared to those who consumed it less often.

Details of these results are published in the Scandinavian Journal of Primary Health Care.