Should You Drink Alcohol If You Have High Blood Pressure?

We did not see any significant change in blood pressure or heart rate after that, but the evidence was limited. Drinking excessive alcohol is considered one of the most common how does drinking affect blood pressure causes of raised blood pressure. We wanted to quantify the effects of a single dose of alcohol on blood pressure and heart rate within 24 hours of consumption. High blood pressure (BP) forces your heart to work extra hard to pump blood, causing your arteries to become stiff and narrow over time, setting the stage for a heart attack or stroke, notes the American Heart Association (AHA).

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If you have high blood pressure, doctors recommend decreasing your total alcohol intake or not drinking alcohol at all. It also discusses treatment and some frequently asked questions about alcohol and high blood pressure. You may have seen headlines that linked having one drink a day to a greater rise in blood pressure with age, compared to people who don’t drink at all.

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It’s important to note that some studies examined only looked at small numbers of females compared to males. As a result, further research is necessary to confirm the effects on all people. The AHA defines hypertension as a consistently elevated high systolic (upper) pressure of 130 or higher, or a diastolic (lower) pressure of 80 or higher. The American Heart Association is a relentless force for a world of longer, Sobriety healthier lives. Through collaboration with numerous organizations, and powered by millions of volunteers, we fund innovative research, advocate for the public’s health and share lifesaving resources.

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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. No content on this site, regardless of date, should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your doctor or other qualified clinician. To understand how much alcohol is too much, it may be helpful to know what excessive drinking means. Blueberries, a tasty addition to overnight oats or yoghurt, are packed with anthocyanins, phytochemicals that give them their blue colour. These help improve the function of endothelial cells in the body, assisting in regulating blood flow and blood pressure. Guidelines vary a lot from country to country but the overall trend is toward drinking less.

• “In limited amounts, it’s probably OK based on the data that we have,” says cardiologist Luke Laffin, MD, co-director of the Center for Blood Pressure Disorders at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
• If you have high blood pressure, it’s best to reduce your alcohol intake.
• Such a change can decrease systolic blood pressure by about 5.5 mmHg and diastolic pressure by around four mmHg.
• The AHA states even people who drink one alcoholic beverage per day showed a link to higher blood pressure compared to non-drinkers.
• People who report drinking moderately tend to have higher levels of education, higher incomes and better access to health care, said Naimi.

Will Alcohol Raise Blood Pressure? Everything You Need to Know

Drinking regularly can also contribute to unhealthy weight gain, which can make your blood pressure go up, too, per the Mayo Clinic. “Anything but beer is OK, as beer comes with a salt load that can cause high blood pressure and is high in calories.” T​here was a particular risk for bias in the studies that met the eligibility criteria, and there is still the potential risk for residual confounding.

Yes, alcohol can raise blood pressure, especially when consumed in excess. Drinking too much alcohol—such as binge drinking (five or more drinks for men or four or more drinks for women in one sitting)—causes a temporary spike in blood pressure. Over time, heavy alcohol use can lead to sustained high blood pressure (hypertension). Even moderate alcohol consumption can cause short-term increases in blood pressure readings. For anyone concerned about heart health, the question “Will alcohol raise blood pressure?

• According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 120 million American adults are battling this “silent killer”, but alarmingly, only a quarter are managing it effectively.
• Alcohol can temporarily increase your heart rate, and it doesn’t take much for it to happen.
• Although some of those effects can occur without alcohol consumption, avoiding alcohol helps decrease the risks.
• Often called the “silent killer,” high blood pressure typically shows no symptoms until a severe event occurs, making regular blood pressure readings crucial for early detection.
• Mounting research has suggested that drinking moderately or heavily increases the risk of high blood pressure.
• Having higher levels of catecholamines causes the body to excrete less fluid through urine.

Drinking too much alcohol over time can lead to sustained high blood pressure alcohol. Heavy alcohol use—defined as more than three https://ecosoberhouse.com/ drinks per day—damages the blood vessels, weakens the heart muscle (a condition called alcoholic cardiomyopathy), and leads to a higher risk of developing hypertension. When it comes to alcohol and high blood pressure, a 2023 study published in the AHA’s journal, Hypertension, found that an average daily consumption of 12 grams of alcohol can increase systolic blood pressure by 1.25 mmHg. This rise can reach up to 4.9 mmHg with an intake of 48 grams daily, particularly in men. To put it in perspective, in the US, a 12 ounce beer, a five ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5 ounce shot of distilled spirits contains about 14 grams of alcohol. A study in the July 2020 ​Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews​ sought to get a better handle on how, or if, drinking alcohol affects blood pressure and heart rate within a 24-hour period.