Fifty-four untreated, mildly hypertensive men whose daily alcohol consumption was £28 ml ethanol and who drank at least 4 times per week took part in a randomized, controlled crossover trial. The purpose of the trial was to test the effects of alcohol reduction on blood pressure. After a 2-week familiarization period, the participants were assigned to either a reduced alcohol drinking group or a usual drinking group for 3 weeks (experimental period 1). The situation was then reversed for the next 3 weeks (experimental period 2). The participants were requested to limit their daily alcohol consumption to zero or reduce it as much as possible for the reduced alcohol consumption period. The self-reported alcohol consumption was 56.1 ±3.6 (SEM) ml/day during the usual alcohol drinking period and 26.1 ±3.0 ml/day during the period of reduced alcohol consumption. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures in the intervention group were found by analysis of variance to be significantly lower (2.6-4.8 and 2.2-3.0 mm Hg, respectively) than those in the control group during experimental period 2 for systolic blood pressure and experimental period 1 for diastolic blood pressure. Significant (3.6 mm Hg) and nonsignificant (1.9 mm Hg) decreases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, respectively, were observed. The method of Hills and Armitage was used, reducing ethanol in daily alcohol consumption by 28 ml. The lowering effect of reduced alcohol consumption on blood pressure was independent of changes in salt consumption, which were estimated by 24-hour urine collection and body weight. It was concluded that a reduction in daily alcohol drinking of ethanol from 56 ml to half that amount was feasible and effective in lowering blood pressure for nontreated mildly hypertensive patients who regularly consume alcohol. 15 The association seems to be one of cause and effect since it persists even after many confounding factors are taken into consideration. 1.6.9.11-13 Several controlled trials for hypertensive patients receiving medication and for normotensive subjects found support for the observation that alcohol has a pressor effect and that a reduction in alcohol consumption lowers blood pressure.16 " 23 However, it still remains to be seen whether a reduction in daily alcohol consumption in mildly hypertensive pa- tients who are not taking medication but who have alcohol-drinking habits is an effective means to decrease blood pressure. Accordingly, we carried out a randomized, crossover controlled study to further test the effects on blood pressure of a reduction in daily alcohol consumption in untreated, mildly hypertensive, male office workers. MethodsMale volunteers, aged 30-59 years, were recruited from their workplace by public health nurses. The volunteers were civil servants with systolic blood pressure >140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressures >90 mm Hg, or both, as measured during annual health check-ups. These volunteers also consumed alcohol daily and thus were classified as having drinking habits.Volunteers whose systo...

Using the identical protocol of an Intersalt Study previously conducted, we undertook a new study (Intersalt-2) 8 years later. We measured changes in various factors affecting blood pressure (BP) including urinary sodium and potassium excretion in three districts of Japan: Osaka, Tochigi, and Toyama. Also we evaluated the trends in the relationships of those factors to BP.The Intersalt Study revealed that the average sodium excretion of all three study centres was high (particularly in Toyama) while potassium excretion was relatively low. The sodium/potassium ratio was therefore relatively high. The body mass index (BMI) was favourable, but the prevalence of heavy alcohol drinkers was high.Comparing the first to the second study reveals a decrease in sodium excretion in Toyama, although that

To investigate the association of calcium intake independently of other nutrients already known as predictors of hypertension, a cross-sectional study was carried out on the same population in Japan as used for the INTERSALT study. Dietary calcium intake was estimated from a 1-day 24-h recall. Sodium and potassium intakes were evaluated by 24-h urinary excretion. Data from 476 subjects aged 20-59 years, 230 men and 246 women, were analysed. The mean dietary calcium intake ranged from 557 to 608 mg/day among men, and from 528 to 639 mg/day among women. Among men, the pooled estimate of the regression coefficients of blood pressure (mm Hg) per 100 mg increase of calcium intake, adjusted for age and body mass index (BMI), were −0.42 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure (SBP) and −0.35 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure (DBP), but

The relationship of parental history of high blood pressure (HBP) to blood pressure (BP) was estimated in three Japanese population samples, totalling 591 men and women aged 20-59 years, from the INTERSALT study. Parental history of HBP was defined as reported HBP by their father and/or mother. With adjustment for antihypertensive medication, body mass index, alcohol intake, and Na/K ratio in 24-h urine, for participants with a parental history of HBP compared to those without a history, BP was higher for three to four age-sex strata, both for systolic and diastolic pressure (SBP, DBP), by 3.3 to 6.8 and 2.7 to 5.5 mm Hg respectively, with four

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