Alcohol Consumption and the Risk of Hypertension in Men and Women: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Abstract

Heavy alcohol intake increases the risk of hypertension, but the relationship between light to moderate alcohol consumption and incident hypertension remains controversial. The authors sought to analyze the dose-response relationship between average daily alcohol consumption and the risk of hypertension via systematic review and meta-analysis. Electronic databases were searched for prospective control studies examining quantitative measurement of alcohol consumption and biological measurement of outcome. The primary endpoint was the risk of developing hypertension based on alcohol consumption. The level of alcohol consumption from each study was assigned to categorical groups based on the midpoint of their alcohol consumption classes to make possible the comparison of heterogeneous classification of alcohol intake. A total of 16 prospective studies (33,904 men and 193,752 women) were included in the analysis. Compared with nondrinkers, men with alcohol consumption with <10 g ⁄ d and 11 to 20 g ⁄ d had a trend toward increased risk of hypertension (relative risk [RR], 1.03; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.94-1.13; P=.51) and (RR, 1.15; 95% CI, 0.99-1.33; P=.06), respectively, whereas a significantly increased risk of hypertension was found with heavy alcohol consumption of 31 to 40 g ⁄ d (RR, 1.77; 95% CI, 1.39-2.26; P<.001) and >50 g ⁄ d (RR, 1.61; 95% CI, 1.38-1.87; P<.001). Among women, the meta-analysis indicated protective effects at <10 g ⁄ d (RR, 0.87; 95% CI, 0.82-0.92; P<.001) and a trend toward decreased risk of hypertension with alcohol consumption 11 to 20 g ⁄ d (RR, 0.9; 95% CI, 0.87-1.04; P=.17), whereas a significantly increased risk of hypertension was indicated with heavy alcohol consumption of 21 to 30 g ⁄ d (RR, 1.16; 95% CI, 0.91-1.46; P=.23) and 31 to 40 g ⁄ d (RR, 1.19; 95% CI, 1.07-1.32; P=.002). In men, heavy alcohol consumption is associated with increased risk of hypertension, whereas there is a trend toward increased risk of hypertension with low and moderate alcohol consumption. The relationship between alcohol consumption and hypertension is J-shaped in women. Limiting alcohol intake should be advised for both men and women. J Clin Hypertens (Greenwich). 2012;14:792-798. Ó2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hypertension is a prevalent condition that affects approximately 65 million individuals in the UnitedStates based on a preliminary report from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) [2005][2006] and coincident US population estimates. 1 Due to its increasing clinical and public health importance, examining the risks or benefits of alcohol consumption in patients with hypertension is needed to assist clinicians in developing appropriate strategies of prevention. In observational studies, moderate alcohol consumption has been associated with lower incidence of cardiovascular diseases such as coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, and peripheral vascular disease. [2][3][4] Epidemiologic evidence suggests that heavy alcohol consumption is strongly associated ...

The association of alcohol and smoking with CKD in a Japanese nationwide cross-sectional survey

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The relationships between alcohol, wine and cardiovascular diseases –A review

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Effects of Repeated Binge Drinking on Blood Pressure Levels and Other Cardiovascular Health Metrics in Young Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2011‐2014

“…In middle‐aged and older adults, binge drinking is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction, stroke, and hypertension 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. Binge drinking is also associated with an increased likelihood of developing prehypertension, previously defined as systolic blood pressure (SBP) between 120 and 140 mm Hg and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) between 70 and 90 mm Hg 6.…”

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