Alcohol and Blood Pressure
Sunday, September 23, 2007
Alcohol and Blood Pressure
Is alcohol good or bad for your blood pressure?
People with high blood pressure need not be teetotal and may benefit from a regular tipple, a US study suggests. The research showed that men with high blood pressure reduced their risk of a heart attack by having a drink or two a day.
But experts warned too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and said the findings should not be used as a licence to drink. It's a no brainer really but you need to remember that alcohol can harm and should not be used as a medicine.
On or two glasses of beer or two small glasses of wine or a small glass of spirits reduced the risk of a heart attack, even if they had high blood pressure.
Light drinkers, who consumed less than one drink every two or three days, did not have a lower risk of heart attack than non-drinkers, however.
The study authors stressed that more than three drinks a day raises blood pressure and the risk of hypertension, adding, "so our findings are not a license for men with hypertension to overindulge".
However, lead author Joline Beulens, at the Harvard School of Public Health, added: "Because excess alcohol intake clearly increases blood pressure, many men with hypertension are counselled not to drink, but our results suggest that may not be necessary if men drink safely and responsibly."
Past research has shown that one way alcohol consumption decreases the risk of heart disease is by increasing the levels of "good" cholesterol and possibly thinning the blood.
Judy O'Sullivan of the British Heart Foundation said: "With alcohol consumption there is a fine line between benefit and risk.
"This study concluded that drinking alcohol in moderation is safe for men with high blood pressure. However, alcohol should not be used as a medicine and those who are teetotal do not need to start consuming alcohol to benefit their heart health.
"It should be remembered that drinking to excess carries serious health risks.
"If you want to improve your heart health our advice is to avoid smoking, eat a balanced diet low in salt and saturated fat and take regular physical activity," she advised.
Is alcohol good or bad for your blood pressure?
People with high blood pressure need not be teetotal and may benefit from a regular tipple, a US study suggests. The research showed that men with high blood pressure reduced their risk of a heart attack by having a drink or two a day.
But experts warned too much alcohol can raise blood pressure and said the findings should not be used as a licence to drink. It's a no brainer really but you need to remember that alcohol can harm and should not be used as a medicine.
On or two glasses of beer or two small glasses of wine or a small glass of spirits reduced the risk of a heart attack, even if they had high blood pressure.
Light drinkers, who consumed less than one drink every two or three days, did not have a lower risk of heart attack than non-drinkers, however.
The study authors stressed that more than three drinks a day raises blood pressure and the risk of hypertension, adding, "so our findings are not a license for men with hypertension to overindulge".
However, lead author Joline Beulens, at the Harvard School of Public Health, added: "Because excess alcohol intake clearly increases blood pressure, many men with hypertension are counselled not to drink, but our results suggest that may not be necessary if men drink safely and responsibly."
Past research has shown that one way alcohol consumption decreases the risk of heart disease is by increasing the levels of "good" cholesterol and possibly thinning the blood.
Judy O'Sullivan of the British Heart Foundation said: "With alcohol consumption there is a fine line between benefit and risk.
"This study concluded that drinking alcohol in moderation is safe for men with high blood pressure. However, alcohol should not be used as a medicine and those who are teetotal do not need to start consuming alcohol to benefit their heart health.
"It should be remembered that drinking to excess carries serious health risks.
"If you want to improve your heart health our advice is to avoid smoking, eat a balanced diet low in salt and saturated fat and take regular physical activity," she advised.
Labels: blood-pressure-medicines, blood-pressure-treatment, diet-and-blood-pressure, salt and blood pressure
We've added a new How To Lower Blood Pressure section to the site - check it out today ...and there's also a new page devoted to Foods That Lower Blood Pressure
You can also find more information about more natural blood pressure remedies on Doctor Cameron's new site. Just click on the link for details and join in the discussion or share your experiences.
