Author: Alex Thompson

Should You Drink Alcohol If You Have High Blood Pressure?

A Dutch study showed that heart-healthy nutrients called polyphenols in red wine help prevent heart disease, but not because of a drop in blood pressure. Research shows that the polyphenols improve the cells lining the blood vessels, and do improve blood flow and heart health. The jury is still out, though, on whether this could potentially improve high blood pressure in severe cases.

Hypertension

We included 32 randomised controlled trials involving 767 participants published up to March 2019. Although these trials included adults from 18 to 96 years of age with various health conditions, most study participants were young healthy males. The source of funding was not reported for a majority of the studies. Kimberly Goad is a New York-based journalist who has covered health for some of the nation’s top consumer publications.

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AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that empowers people to choose how they live as they age. Klatsky says his biggest concern is that patients keep an open dialogue with their doctors about their lifestyle to achieve an authentic diagnosis. Research indicates that different types of tea may lower blood pressure. Individuals who do not experience withdrawal symptoms will likely see the positive effects of giving up alcohol shortly after doing so. However, people who are dependent on alcohol or have been misusing alcohol for a long period of time may have difficulty quitting.

Vasopressin levels

Heavy alcohol users who cut back to average drinking can lower their top number in a blood pressure reading by about 5.5 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and their bottom number by about 4 mm Hg. There’s not currently a recommended amount of alcohol for people with hypertension since this can vary from person to person. You and your doctor can make an individualized treatment plan to lower your blood pressure and address your alcohol use. People over 40 years old or those with a higher risk of hypertension should have a doctor check their blood pressure at least once a year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that if a person has hypertension, they may have a higher risk of conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and heart disease.

1. Excessive alcohol consumption can increase the risk of several metabolic conditions, including high blood pressure.
2. Alcohol consistently increases heart rate at all times within 24 hours of consumption.
3. However, the CDC states these findings may be due to other lifestyle differences between people who drink moderately and those who do not.

Researchers found this group had a reduced risk of hypertension after drinking 30 grams, about 2 tablespoons, of a specific form of aged white wine every day for 3 weeks. A study from 2019 looked into the effects of aged white wine consumption in males with a high risk of cardiovascular disease. Completely refraining from consuming alcohol lowers the risk of some of the health risks listed above. Although some of those effects can occur without alcohol consumption, avoiding alcohol helps decrease the risks. Researchers also found that people who drank heavily were 69% more likely to have stage 1 hypertension than people who do not drink and 2.4 times more likely to have stage 2 hypertension.

If you already have high blood pressure, NSAIDs can prevent several common meds such as ACE inhibitors and diuretics from doing their job. At Healthgrades, our Editorial Team works hard to develop complete, objective and meaningful health information to help people choose the right doctor, right hospital and right care. Our writers include physicians, pharmacists, and registered nurses with firsthand clinical experience. All condition, treatment and wellness content is medically reviewed by at least one medical professional ensuring the most accurate information possible.

Mayo Clinic Press

We are moderately certain that medium‐dose alcohol decreased blood pressure and increased heart rate within six hours of consumption. We did not see any significant change in blood pressure or heart rate after that, but the evidence was limited. Another study, this time in the Journal of the American Heart Association, indicates that binge drinking increases blood pressure levels in men but not women. Despite this finding, women should try not to engage in binge drinking. The AHA states even people who drink one alcoholic beverage per day showed a link to higher blood pressure compared to non-drinkers.

Systolic pressure is the pressure within the arteries of the heart when the heart contracts, and diastolic pressure refers to the lowest pressure in the arteries when the heart is relaxing between contractions. Sign up for free and stay up to date on research advancements, health tips, current health topics, and expertise on managing health.

While most studies show this results from drinking more heavily (more than 1-2 drinks a day), Klatsky says some research indicates even light-moderate drinking could play a role in a younger woman’s risk of breast cancer. Some studies suggest low amounts of alcohol may provide health benefits. However, experts believe these effects may result from differences between people who drink moderately and those who do not. Researchers found that people who drank beetroot juice had reduced systolic blood pressure compared with those who did not drink the juice. Systolic blood pressure is the pressure in a person’s arteries when their heart beats.

The Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion notes that people between the ages of 18 and 39 years who are not at risk of hypertension should have their blood pressure checked by a doctor at least every 3–5 years. A study from 2023 found that tea consumption could help reduce a person’s risk of hypertension by 10%. Researchers noted this effect varied depending on the type of tea a person drank.