High blood pressure is a common health concern since it can lead to several issues in the cardiovascular system, brain, kidneys, and more. While researching it, you might have seen that alcohol and blood pressure may be connected. So, does alcohol raise blood pressure?
Drinking large amounts of alcohol can raise blood pressure in the short and long term. This happens because of how alcohol reacts with the body’s hormonal system. It causes the release of hormones that constrict blood vessels, leading to higher blood pressure. The effects can get even worse when someone regularly drinks in excess due to an alcohol addiction.
We’ll break down everything you should know about the effects of alcohol on blood pressure in the rest of this article, from its impact on the body to the health conditions it can cause. Read on for all the details.
How Alcohol Affects Blood Pressure
A meta-analysis by the American Heart Association published in July 2023 analyzed seven studies with 19,548 participants. What they found was that as participants drank more alcohol, there was a consistent increase in systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels. SBP measures how much pressure there is during each heartbeat.
The research found that drinking 12 grams of alcohol raised SBP by 1.25 mmHg (the standard unit of measure for blood pressure). And drinking 48 grams of alcohol raised SBP by an average of 4.90 mmHg.
The CDC defines a standard drink as a beverage that contains 14 grams of pure alcohol. Therefore, 12 grams is slightly less than one standard alcoholic beverage, and 48 grams is a little more than three alcoholic beverages.
These findings suggest that even one drink could raise blood pressure levels slightly, and three or more drinks can raise them significantly.
How Alcohol’s Effects on the Body Influence Blood Pressure
As mentioned earlier, drinking alcohol causes a release of hormones that constrict the blood vessels. One of the main hormones that causes this effect is an enzyme called renin that’s produced by the kidneys. When renin is active, it raises blood pressure levels.
Some renin activity is natural to regulate your body’s system. However, studies show that when you drink in excess (more than three standard drinks), it can cause a significant increase in renin activity that raises blood pressure levels too much.
Research also shows that drinking large amounts of alcohol can cause spikes in adrenaline that increase heart rate, cardiac output, and SBP. The health effects of drinking and blood pressure are especially prominent when people consume alcohol heavily over a longer amount of time.
The Link Between Alcohol and Hypertension
Can alcohol cause high blood pressure in the long term? Yes, it can. Regular excessive alcohol consumption and persistent high blood pressure (hypertension) are commonly interlinked.
Another systematic review by the American Heart Association in June 2024 assessed the risk of hypertension with regular daily alcohol consumption. What they discovered was that as the amount of alcohol consumed daily increased, so did the likelihood of hypertension.
When participants consumed no alcohol, the average risk ratio (RR) was 0.89, meaning there was an 11% reduction in the risk of developing hypertension. However, as daily alcohol consumption increased, average RR went up to:
- 1.11 (11% higher chance of hypertension) at 24 grams of alcohol daily
- 1.22 (22% higher chance of hypertension) at 36 grams per day
- 1.33 (33% higher chance of hypertension) at 48 grams per day
It’s also important to note that other risk factors can contribute to the likelihood of hypertension. Individuals who are older, have higher body fat percentages, have a family history of hypertension, or who struggle with health conditions like diabetes are all at greater risk. Therefore, combining regular and heavy drinking with these risk factors could make hypertension even more likely.
Can Alcohol Lower Blood Pressure?
Some studies have noted that drinking low to moderate amounts of alcohol (less than 3 drinks) lowered blood pressure levels for up to 12 hours after drinking and then raised blood pressure levels after that.
Therefore, while alcohol may lower blood pressure in the very short term after having a drink, the increases that follow don’t make it a healthy or sustainable choice to manage hypertension.
With the risk of long-term health consequences from ongoing heavy drinking, it’s important to moderate consumption and seek help for addiction if you or a loved one is experiencing a drinking problem that’s getting out of control.
How to Manage Blood Pressure While Drinking
The best ways to manage blood pressure while drinking are:
- Practice moderation: The CDC recommends consuming no more than two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women. More than that can significantly increase the risk of hypertension.
- Choose beverages with lower alcohol content: Beverages like wine spritzers, vodka tonics, and light beers tend to have a lower alcohol content. Therefore, drinking one or two of these beverages instead of higher alcohol drinks can reduce effects on blood pressure.
- Stay hydrated and eat a balanced diet: Both proper hydration and eating a healthy diet can help manage blood pressure. It can also be helpful to make sure you drink a glass of water after an alcoholic beverage since alcohol dehydrates the body.
If you currently struggle with high blood pressure, consistently monitoring it is important. You should also talk to your doctor about strategies to manage it and how alcohol consumption may impact your current condition.
The Role of Alcohol in Heart Disease and Stroke Risk
Alcohol and cardiovascular health are commonly interlinked due to its effects on blood pressure.
Research from the American College of Cardiology states that women who report high alcohol intake have a 45% great risk of developing heart disease compared to those who report moderate to low alcohol intake. Additionally, men who report high alcohol intake were 33% more likely to develop heart disease than those who reported low to moderate alcohol use.
Research also suggests that high blood pressure contributes to up to 50% of all strokes. Therefore, heavy alcohol consumption that raises blood pressure can lead to a higher stroke risk.
Reducing or eliminating all alcohol use can improve overall health and well-being. That’s especially true for anyone who struggles with an alcohol use disorder (AUD) where they feel like they can’t stop alcohol use despite it causing negative consequences in their life.
If you or someone you care about struggles with AUD and aren’t sure where to start, going to a local treatment center is a great first step to get a diagnosis and start planning for recovery.
Conclusion
Heavy alcohol consumption can raise blood pressure in the short and long term. It can have especially profound effects on someone’s health and well-being when they’re struggling with addiction and don’t know where to start or how to stop alcohol use.
We’re here to support you at the United Recovery Project. We offer residential care and medical detox for drug and alcohol addiction. Our treatment team can provide a diagnosis, help you create a personalized plan for success, and will be there to lend support each step of the way.
You can contact us today to learn more about how we can help.
References
- Silvia Di Federico, et al. “Alcohol Intake and Blood Pressure Levels: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Nonexperimental Cohort Studies.” Hypertension, vol. 80, no. 10, 31 July 2023, doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.123.21224. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.123.21224
- CDC. “About Standard Drink Sizes.” Alcohol Use, 23 May 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/standard-drink-sizes/index.html
- Husain, Kazim, et al. “Alcohol-Induced Hypertension: Mechanism and Prevention.” World Journal of Cardiology, vol. 6, no. 5, 26 May 2014, pp. 245–252, doi:10.4330/wjc.v6.i5.245. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4038773/
- Ireland, M. A., et al. “Acute Effects of Moderate Alcohol Consumption on Blood Pressure and Plasma Catecholamines.” Clinical Science, vol. 66, no. 6, 1 June 1984, pp. 643–647, doi:10.1042/cs0660643. https://portlandpress.com/clinsci/article-abstract/66/6/643/98299/Acute-effects-of-moderate-alcohol-consumption-on?redirectedFrom=fulltext
- Cecchini, Marta, et al. “Alcohol Intake and Risk of Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Nonexperimental Cohort Studies.” Hypertension, vol. 81, no. 8, 12 June 2024, doi:10.1161/hypertensionaha.124.22703. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.124.22703
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “High Blood Pressure Risk Factors.” High Blood Pressure, CDC, 25 Apr. 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/high-blood-pressure/risk-factors/index.html
- FuchsFlávio Danni, et al. “Alcohol Consumption and the Incidence of Hypertension.” Hypertension, vol. 37, no. 5, May 2001, pp. 1242–1250, doi:10.1161/01.hyp.37.5.1242. https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/01.HYP.37.5.1242
- CDC. “About Moderate Alcohol Use.” Alcohol Use, 23 May 2024, https://www.cdc.gov/alcohol/about-alcohol-use/moderate-alcohol-use.html
- “Alcohol Raises Heart Disease Risk, Particularly among Women – American College of Cardiology.” American College of Cardiology, 2024, https://www.acc.org/About-ACC/Press-Releases/2024/03/28/11/58/alcohol-raises-heart-disease-risk-particularly-among-women
- 10. Stroke Association. Alcohol and Stroke. Oct. 2014.
