Moderate Drinking Tied to Risk of Stage 1, 2 Hypertension
Studies have established that
heavy drinkers are more likely to have hypertension compared
with non-drinkers, and now new research confirms the link to high blood
pressure and extends the finding to those consuming moderate amounts of alcohol.
In a snapshot of a national
sample of adult Americans, researchers found that compared to abstainers, men
and women who drank 7 to 13 alcoholic drinks a week (moderate drinkers) were
1.5 times as likely to have stage 1 hypertension and twice as likely to have
stage 2 hypertension, based on criteria in the new 2017 ACC/AHA
hypertension guidelines.
Heavy drinkers (14 or more
drinks per week) had a similar, slightly higher risk of having stage 1 or stage
2 hypertension vs abstainers.
The public health message is
that people should ask their providers to check their blood pressure at each
visit, especially if they are moderate or heavy drinkers.
