How Drinking Is Bad for High Blood Pressure

Heavy drinking can raise blood pressure.

Blood pressure measures the amount of force that blood flow is exerting on the walls of your arteries. Drinking can raise blood pressure because alcohol interferes with the flow of blood to and from the heart.

High Blood Pressure

According to the University of Michigan Health System, about 24 percent of people in the United States have high blood pressure, which is defined as a blood pressure reading greater than or equal to 140/90.

How Much Alcohol?

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, having more than three drinks a day may contribute to high blood pressure. According to the University of Michigan Health System, more than two drinks a day can raise blood pressure.

Considerations

According to HarvardScience, moderate drinking (no more than two drinks a day) reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, but the benefits are likely outweighed by alcohol-related deaths.

Expert Insight

According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, studies have shown that controlling your blood pressure is much more difficult if you drink heavily. Also, reducing how much you drink can help lower blood pressure.

Solution

In addition to reducing drinking, other recommendations for high blood pressure are to stop smoking, reduce salt, lose weight and exercise.

References

• High Blood Pressure: Tips to Stop the Silent Killer
• Hypertension (High Blood Pressure)
• Smoking, high blood pressure and being overweight top three preventable causes of death in the U.S.