A nurse is teaching a patient who drinks alcohol in excess. When the patient asks the nurse about ...

A nurse is teaching a patient who drinks alcohol in excess. When the patient asks the nurse about the effect of chronic alcohol use on the heart, the nurse's best response would be which of the following statements?
 
  a. Alcohol has little effect on the heart. You should be more concerned about your liver.
  b. Heart failure is a major problem that develops in patients who use excessive alcohol.
  c. Excessive alcohol use can lower your blood pressure.
  d. Drinking more than two drinks a day has been shown to protect the heart from atherosclerosis.