Alcohol Causes Hypertension
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Understanding Hypertension
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Hypertension is the official medical term for high blood pressure. Blood needs pressure to pump its way through the veins and send oxygen to vital organs. When the heart pumps, the pressure goes up, and when it rests, the pressure on the veins is reduced.
High blood pressure occurs when the veins narrow or there are abnormalities within the aorta (the main artery that carries oxygen to the organs). This can happen for a variety of reasons, such as a high cholesterol diet, lack of exercise, obesity, pregnancy, kidney problems, or drug and alcohol abuse.
Understanding the Effects of Alcohol
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Ethyl or drinking alcohol, which includes wines, liquors, and beers, is categorized as a depressive drug because it slows down brain functions. Alcohol abuse occurs when a person either consumes too much alcohol at once, or too frequently. Drinking more than seven drinks per week for women, or 14 drinks for men, is considered "At-Risk" drinking. When the drinking affects other areas of the person's life, such as a job or loved one, or when the drinking starts to cause physical problems, this is called alcohol abuse or dependence.
When a person drinks alcohol, the liquid quickly goes to the blood stream. If he consumes too much alcohol at once, it accumulates in the blood stream, causing the feeling of intoxication. A certain portion of the blood, called blood alcohol content (BAC), is literally composed of alcohol. This alcohol is distributed throughout the body through the person's veins.
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Linking the Two
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The link between alcohol and hypertension was established in a 1979 study of alcoholics (see Saunders, Beevers & Paton study under "References"). Close to 50% of the alcoholics had high blood pressure. The exact cause of why the alcohol causes the blood pressure to rise is unknown, but it is clear that when alcohol enters and accumulates in the blood stream, it interferes with the transport of oxygen and nutrients to the heart through the aorta and smaller veins. Whenever the heart has to pump harder to supply nutrient-rich blood to the other organs of the body, it raises the drinker's blood pressure. Symptoms of hypertension will go away when the person stops his bad drinking habits.
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