Does drinking alcohol affect your blood pressure?
Several studies have found that drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels. In fact, research shows that heavy drinkers who cut back to moderate drinking can lower their systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) by 2 to 4 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading) by 1 to 2 mm Hg.
If you have high blood pressure, avoid alcohol or drink alcohol only in moderation. Moderate drinking is generally considered two drinks a day for men younger than age 65, one drink a day for men age 65 and older, and one drink a day for women of any age. A drink is defined as 12 ounces (355 milliliters) of beer, 5 ounces (148 milliliters) of wine or 1.5 ounces (44 milliliters) of 80-proof distilled spirits.
Keep in mind that alcohol contains calories and may contribute to unwanted weight gain ? a risk factor for high blood pressure.
Also, alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness and increase the side effects of some blood pressure medications.
Source MayoClinic.com
People who drink alcohol excessively (over two drinks per day) have a one and a half to two times increase in the frequency of high blood pressure (hypertension). The association between alcohol and high blood pressure is particularly noticeable when the alcohol intake exceeds 5 drinks per day. Moreover, the connection is a dose-related phenomenon. In other words, the more alcohol that is consumed, the stronger is the link with hypertension.
Although smoking increases the risk of vascular complications (for example, heart disease and stroke) in people who already have hypertension, it is not associated with an increase in the development of hypertension. Nevertheless, smoking a cigarette can repeatedly produce an immediate, temporary rise in the blood pressure of 5 to 10 mm Hg. Steady smokers however, actually may have a lower blood pressure than nonsmokers. The reason for this is that the nicotine in the cigarettes causes a decrease in appetite, which leads to weight loss. This, in turn, lowers the blood pressure.
In one study, the caffeine consumed in 5 cups of coffee daily caused a mild increase in blood pressure in elderly people who already had hypertension, but not in those who had normal blood pressures. What's more, the combination of smoking and drinking coffee in persons with high blood pressure may increase the blood pressure more than coffee alone. Limiting caffeine intake and cigarette smoking in hypertensive individuals, therefore, may be of some benefit in controlling their high blood pressure.
For much more about high blood pressure, please visit the Medicinenet Blood Pressure Center.
Source: Medicinenet.com
Several studies have found that drinking excessive amounts of alcohol can raise blood pressure to unhealthy levels. In fact, research shows that heavy drinkers who cut back to moderate drinking can lower their systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure reading) by 2 to 4 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number in a blood pressure reading) by 1 to 2 mm Hg.
If you have high blood pressure, avoid alcohol or drink alcohol only in moderation. Moderate drinking is generally considered two drinks a day for men younger than age 65, one drink a day for men age 65 and older, and one drink a day for women of any age. A drink is defined as 12 ounces (355 milliliters) of beer, 5 ounces (148 milliliters) of wine or 1.5 ounces (44 milliliters) of 80-proof distilled spirits.
Keep in mind that alcohol contains calories and may contribute to unwanted weight gain ? a risk factor for high blood pressure.
Also, alcohol can interfere with the effectiveness and increase the side effects of some blood pressure medications.
Source MayoClinic.com
People who drink alcohol excessively (over two drinks per day) have a one and a half to two times increase in the frequency of high blood pressure (hypertension). The association between alcohol and high blood pressure is particularly noticeable when the alcohol intake exceeds 5 drinks per day. Moreover, the connection is a dose-related phenomenon. In other words, the more alcohol that is consumed, the stronger is the link with hypertension.
Although smoking increases the risk of vascular complications (for example, heart disease and stroke) in people who already have hypertension, it is not associated with an increase in the development of hypertension. Nevertheless, smoking a cigarette can repeatedly produce an immediate, temporary rise in the blood pressure of 5 to 10 mm Hg. Steady smokers however, actually may have a lower blood pressure than nonsmokers. The reason for this is that the nicotine in the cigarettes causes a decrease in appetite, which leads to weight loss. This, in turn, lowers the blood pressure.
In one study, the caffeine consumed in 5 cups of coffee daily caused a mild increase in blood pressure in elderly people who already had hypertension, but not in those who had normal blood pressures. What's more, the combination of smoking and drinking coffee in persons with high blood pressure may increase the blood pressure more than coffee alone. Limiting caffeine intake and cigarette smoking in hypertensive individuals, therefore, may be of some benefit in controlling their high blood pressure.
For much more about high blood pressure, please visit the Medicinenet Blood Pressure Center.
Source: Medicinenet.com
