Alcohol and its relationship to blood pressure

Abstract

Ethanol is a molecule of enduring research interest because its consumption has important social as well as medical implications. With excessive ethanol consumption, there is higher prevalence for hypertension, stroke, cardiomyopathy, and arrhythmias. A principal mechanism by which ethanol exerts these cardiovascular effects is through modulation of blood pressure. In this article, we focus on recent research that pursues information on the effects of alcohol on blood pressure in human subjects, regardless of whether they have hypertension or not. Known means by which alcohol exerts hemodynamic effects are briefly covered, and insights on novel biomediators, such as endothelin and gene-based mechanisms, are presented. Newer tools, such as the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test-Consumption Questions (AUDIT-C) survey and carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT) serum test, are also covered. Reducing excessive alcohol intake can produce a reduction in blood pressure of up to 4 mm Hg, on average, which could substantially affect the rates of stroke and ischemic heart disease.

Alcohol and the Heart: An Ounce of Prevention

“…The predominant effect appears to be due to sympathetic neural activation, although several other factors may also play a role. Among these are inhibition of nitric oxide, insulin resistance, hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis stimulation with cortisol excess, altered calcium-magnesium balance, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system changes, genetic disposition, impaired serotonin responses, and endothelin-1 stimulation [13].…”

The effects of ethanol upon hydric balance and arterial pressure in rats: Folic acid as a possible hypotensor

“…Clinically, alcohol's effect upon arterial pressure describes a J-shaped curve therefore the duration and quantity of alcohol ingested would appear to be a key factor in the homeostasis of blood pressure (El-Mas and Abel-Rahman, 2005;Tomson and Lip, 2005). Hypertension, therefore, is an associated problem to the chronic alcoholism (Kodavali and Townsend 2006;Resstel et al 2006).…”

Alcohol Intake and High Blood Pressure

“…Proposed mechanisms [ 11 ] include nitric oxide depletion, activation of the sympathetic nervous system, insulin resistance, HPA stimulation with increase in serum cortisol level, altered calciummagnesium balance, and changes in the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Nitric oxide is a known potent vasodilator.…”