The Connection Between Hypertension And Alcohol
Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, affects nearly half of the U.S. adult population and can be a result of many factorsone of them being alcohol consumption.
Many Americans drink alcohol at least occasionally and for most, moderate drinking is relatively safe, but when drinking heavily over time becomes part of a persons lifestyle, they can greatly increase their risk for hypertension and other harmful conditions.
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What Does Alcohol Do To Your Veins And Your Circulatory System
There are various studies that claim varying positive benefits of alcohol for humans. This, however, only refers to when people drink alcohol in moderation, meaning no more than two glasses of beer, wine, or other alcoholic beverage a day, depending on your weight and gender.
On the other hand, it is very well-known that too much alcohol can have harmful effects on your body. Drinking too much can cause damage in the brain, digestive system, kidneys, and even your reproductive organs.
What isnt well-known is that drinking too much can also affect your heart and your veins.
Alcohol And Blood Pressure
A 2018 study, echoed by the World Health Organization , concluded that no amount of alcohol is safe for consumption, as alcohol leads to a loss of healthy life. Drinking frequently or binging on a large amount of alcohol in a small period of time can lead to health problems.
Drinking alcohol may also increase blood pressure for a short amount of time even in healthy people. If you drink too much over time, chronic hypertension can develop.
Hypertension leads to an increased risk of other health problems, including stroke, heart attack, and heart disease.
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Effects Of Alcohol On Blood Pressure Medications
Patients already taking blood pressure medications should be especially mindful of their alcohol intake. This is because of how alcohol may interact with blood pressure medication.
Many blood pressure medications tend to lower blood pressure which may result in dizziness. This side effect is more expressive when the patient goes from sitting or lying to a standing position This side effect and other blood pressure issues caused by alcohol may put the patient at a higher risk of falls.
Some blood pressure medications also have a higher risk of interacting negatively with alcohol than others.
These medications include:
- Beta-blockers
Our team at New Method Wellness advises patients to seek expert advice to understand if they can take alcohol with these blood pressure medications. It is not a good idea to change a medication schedule without talking to a professional first.
Alcohol Consumption For Someone With Low Blood Pressure
Someone with low blood pressure should still try to limit their alcohol use and should never use alcohol as a way of treating low blood pressure. Some people may have blood pressure that is naturally lower than normal, but these individuals can still develop high blood pressure from alcohol use.
Ideally, people with low blood pressure who use alcohol should consult a doctor to learn what is best for their specific situation. Additionally, they should follow the recommendation of no more than two drinks a day for men and one drink a day for women.
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Alcohols Effects On The Circulatory System
What does alcohol do to your veins and the rest of your circulatory system? The answer can surprise many, as some of these conditions are rarely felt. A healthy circulatory system depends on a heart that beats and otherwise functions properly. Both binge-drinking and long-term drinking can affect the heart severely.
Does Alcohol Increase Blood Pressure
Consuming alcohol at very low levels does not increase blood pressure. If anything, it may lower blood pressure slightly. But as the patient consumes more alcohol, blood pressure rises. Many factors work together to raise blood pressure, but the long-term effects of alcohol can be life-threatening.
This segment highlights different ways alcohol consumption can indirectly affect blood pressure.
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Risk Of Bias In Included Studies
Refer to Figure 2 and Figure 3 for the overall ‘Risk of bias’ assessment.
Risk of bias graph: review authors’ judgements about each risk of bias item presented as percentages across all included studies.
We independently assessed risk of bias by following the methods described in Chapter 8 of the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions . We assessed the risk of bias based on 11 domains: random sequence generation , allocation concealment , blinding of participants and personnel , blinding of outcome assessment , incomplete outcome data , selective reporting for systolic blood pressure , selective reporting for diastolic blood pressure , selective reporting for mean arterial blood pressure , selective reporting for heart rate , other bias , and other bias . We classified each domain as being at low, high, or uncertain risk of bias.
In the case of disagreement, a third party was involved to discuss and resolve the disagreement. In the case of uncertain information regarding the method of RCT, we contacted study authors via email to request clarification. Refer to Table 5 for further details regarding reasons and responses.
Preventing High Blood Pressure
Limiting alcohol consumption can also help to prevent high blood pressure.
If you drink, limit your alcohol consumption to no more than two drinks per day for men and no more than one drink per day for women. A drink is one 12 oz. beer, 4 oz. of wine, 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits or 1 oz. of 100-proof spirits.
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Dangers Of Mixing Alcohol And Blood Pressure Medications
Alcohol and blood pressure medicines should generally not be mixed. Alcohol is difficult for the body to process and adds stress to the liver. The liver must divert its resources to metabolizing alcohol, making it process other medicines more slowly. This can cause the medications to stay active in your blood for longer while your body is processing alcohol, which can increase the effects of the medications.
In addition to increasing the effects of blood pressure medicine, alcohol also causes a drop in blood pressure right after it is used. This effect, combined with the increased effects of blood pressure medicine, can lead to drops in blood pressure that can cause dizziness or even make you pass out.
What To Expect During Alcohol Detox And Withdrawal
Upon entering the residential program a thorough intake interview will be conducted. Health status, addiction history, and mental health history will be assessed in an effort for the provider to anticipate any potential risks during the detox process. The severity of symptoms is determined by various factors identified during the initial evaluation.
These factors include:
- The age of the individual
- The general health status, if there are any medical conditions present
- The length of history of the alcohol use disorder
- The usual amount of alcohol consumed on a daily basis
- The existence of another substance use disorder
- The existence of a co-occurring mental health disorder
When an individual abruptly discontinues alcohol intake they will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms within 6-8 hours. Withdrawal symptoms are in response to the brain and central nervous system having made adjustments over time in response to the alcohol. Brain hyper-excitability ensues when the alcohol is withheld, leading to a range of highly uncomfortable symptoms.
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Alcohol withdrawal symptoms may include:
In some cases, unpredictable withdrawals symptoms can suddenly emerge on days 3-4, called the delirium tremens . For this reason, having medical personnel available who can manage the DTs is essential during the first 3 or 4 days of detox.
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It Is A Myth That Drinking Red Wine Every Day Can Lower Blood Pressure For Most People Drinking Even In Moderation Leads To A Higher Chance Of Developing Hypertension
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Alcohol may make people feel more relaxed, but it can also speed up the heart rate and elevate blood pressure. Alcohol and hypertension are closely linked: drinking too much and too often can make high blood pressure become a chronic issue. People who have a personal or family history of hypertension should maintain awareness of the relationship between alcohol and high blood pressure.
High blood pressure happens when the heartbeat causes blood to push against the walls of the arteries with high force. In addition to drinking, high blood pressure can be caused by genetics, a high-salt diet and a lack of exercise. Over time, if not addressed, high blood pressure can lead to other health problems such as heart disease. People who are worried about the effects of alcohol use and blood pressure should talk to a health care provider to get a blood pressure reading and learn more about their own personal risk of hypertension. People dealing with hypertension should also be aware that alcohol and blood pressure medications usually shouldnt be mixed.
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Does Alcohol Lower Blood Pressure
Can alcohol lower blood pressure? This may seem unlikely but, it has been confirmed that moderate intake is deemed beneficial. Does alcohol lower blood pressure temporarily? It is possible to lower pressure by 2 to 4mm Hg, but this means low quantities.
The key is the term moderate:
- Men under retirement age two drinks per day
- Men over retirement age one drink per day
- Women irrespective of age one drink per day
Research indicates that the risk of coronary heart disease lessens when moderate levels of drink are consumed. An individual with hypertension can rapidly reverse the condition through stopping drinking. Alcoholism plays a factor in this. Consider the impact of alcohol withdrawal and blood pressure and the results are encouraging. By gradually withdrawing from this addictive substance, hypertension may be helped.
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Can You Drink Alcohol With Blood Pressure Medicine
Most prescription and over-the-counter medications come with a label warning against alcohol use. But how does alcohol affect blood pressure medication in particular?
First, it is important to know that each hypertension drug works to lower levels in a unique way.
- Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors regulate blood pressure hormones.
- Angiotensin II receptor blockers, or ARBs, control blood pressure-related hormones, similarly to ACE inhibitors.
- Calcium channel blockers help the lining of the blood vessel walls expand, which sees a drop in blood pressure levels.
- Thiazide diuretics remove excess fluid to regulate the flow of blood.
Certain high blood pressure cases may require a regimen of more than one of these medications. The use of alcohol may hinder the effectiveness of the drugs.
Alcohol combined with the chemical properties of blood pressure medication may cause severe drowsiness, dizziness, headaches, and muscle weakness.
Prevention And Treatment Of Alcohol
There are few strategies for the control, prevention and treatment of alcohol-induced hypertension as shown in Figure Figure22.
Prevention and treatment of alcohol-induced hypertension. ACEi/ARBs: Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor/Angiotensin receptor blockers
Studies have shown that a reduction in alcohol intake is effective in lowering the blood pressure both in hypertensives and normotensives and may help to prevent the development of hypertension. Heavy drinkers who cut back to moderate drinking can lower their systolic blood pressure by 2 to 4 mm of mercury and their diastolic blood pressure by 1 to 2 mmHg. Heavy drinkers who want to lower blood pressure should slowly reduce how much they drink over one to two weeks.
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Why Does Alcohol Cause Hypertension
Alcoholic beverages are regular drinks in most parts of the world. If consumed in little to moderate amounts, alcohol can be healthy for most individuals. However, drinking too much alcohol can create many problems including an increase in blood pressure. Having more than three drinks back-to-back can increase your blood pressure temporarily, but if you keep doing it frequently, you may develop a long-term condition called hypertension .
How alcohol causes hypertension is still not confirmed. Research suggests that the following effects of alcohol on the body can cause high blood pressure.
- Damage to the endothelium
- Increased calcium levels in the walls of the arteries
- Effect on hormones that constrict and relax the arteries
Heavy alcohol drinking increases blood pressure by about 5 to 10 mmHg and the increase in systolic pressure is more than that in diastolic blood pressure.
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What Are The Symptoms Of High Blood Pressure
You can’t usually feel or notice high blood pressure. In fact, many people may not know they have it. This is because high blood pressure very rarely causes any obvious symptoms until a serious acute event such as a heart attack or stroke.
The best way of knowing if theres a problem is to have your blood pressure measured. You can have this done at your GP surgery, some local pharmacies, at your NHS Health Check or you can buy a reliable blood pressure monitor from the pharmacist.
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New Method Wellness Can Help
Our range of alcohol treatment programs provides patients with a holistic approach to treatment. We focus on getting to the root of the addiction and using our extensive knowledge to identify any dual diagnoses. Our team creates a treatment approach tailored to each patients needs.
Here are some of the services we provide:
- Inpatient and outpatient programs, including alcohol detox, residential facilities, inpatient rehab, and long-term outpatient support
- Programs that support long-term success by identifying triggers and helping patients to build effective coping strategies to prevent relapse
- Wide range of research-backed therapies, including equine-assisted therapy, group therapy, family therapy, nutritional guidance, massage therapy, and so much more
- Ongoing support that provides patients with additional support after completing their programs
What The Circulatory System Does
The circulatory system is an essential system in your body. It is responsible for maintaining balance of all the systems in the body by consistently and constantly circulating your blood.
There are four main pieces of the circulatory system that do all of this work: the heart, arteries, veins, and blood.
- The heart pumps blood 24/7 to drive the circulatory system.
- Arteries are responsible for carrying blood that is rich with oxygen away from your heart and distributing it to the rest of your body. Think arteries away to remember this.
- Veins carry blood that is in need of oxygen to the lungs, where it is oxygenated and pumped back to the heart.
- Blood is the final main player of the circulatory system. It provides the means of transportation for everything throughout the body.
Through the above four components, blood is effectively circulated throughout the body.
There are three types of circulation that are responsible for slightly different actions. Pulmonary circulation distributes blood between the heart and lungs. Systemic circulation sends oxygenated blood from the heart to the body. Coronary circulation provides oxygenated blood to the heart, so it can continue to work properly.
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What Is High Blood Pressure
Every time your heart beats, it pumps blood into the arteries, and blood pressure is the force of your blood pushing against the arterial walls.3 Every time your heart beats, blood pressure is at its highest and is measured as systolic pressure, which is the first number on a blood pressure reading.3 In between beats, blood pressure is relatively lower, which is known as diastolic pressure.3
Blood pressure measures include both a persons systolic and diastolic numbers, with the former coming before the latter. Some important blood pressure thresholds to know include:3
- Normal: Less than 120/80 mmHg.
- Prehypertension : Between 120/80 mmHg and 139/89 mmHg.
- Stage 1 Hypertension: Between 130-139 mmHg/80-89 mmHg.
- Stage 2 Hypertension: Higher than 140/90 mmHg.
- Hypertension Crisis : higher than 180/120 mmHg.
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is when a persons blood pressure stays elevated longer than normal.4 When it stays high over time, it causes the heart to consistently pump harder.3
The increased cardiovascular stress may lead to serious health problems such as:
- Having diabetes
- Smoking, and other forms of substance abuse, including too much alcohol5
High blood pressure is often characterized as a silent killer because, given the lack of warning signs or symptoms, many people do not know they have it.4
Are There Any Blood Pressure Medications That Are Not Affected By Alcohol
Its important to remember alcohol has both direct and indirect effects on medications. Most blood pressure medications are not directly affected by alcohol. This means the alcohol does not change the physical properties of the medication. Alpha blockers, nondihydropyridine CCBs, and beta blockers are three classes of antihypertensives that can be directly affected by alcohol, which is why its dangerous to drink while taking them.
The bigger concern is alcohols indirect effects when it comes to hypertension and medications that treat it. Alcohol is known to raise blood pressure when consumed regularly and will make it harder for your medication to treat your condition. Over time, this puts you at a higher risk for heart attacks and strokes.
Because of alcohols indirect effects, there are no blood pressure medications that are risk-free when mixed with alcohol. Its important to discuss with your provider if theres a safe amount you can drink while taking your medications.
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