Almost Linear Association Seen Between Alcohol Intake, Blood Pressure

MONDAY, July 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) -- There is an almost linear association between alcohol intake and blood pressure (BP) in healthy adults, according to a review published online July 31 in Hypertension.

Silvia Di Federico, from the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia in Italy, and colleagues conducted a systematic review of studies conducted in healthy adults that reported on the association between alcohol intake and BP. The analysis included seven studies with 19,548 participants and a median follow-up of 5.3 years.

The researchers identified a substantially linear positive association between baseline alcohol intake and changes over time in systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP), with no indication of an exposure-effect threshold. Compared with no consumption, average SBP was 1.25 and 4.90 mm Hg higher and average DBP was 1.14 and 3.10 mm Hg higher for 12 or 48 g daily alcohol consumption, respectively. An almost linear association was seen between baseline alcohol intake and SBP changes in both men and women and for DBP in men, while an inverted U-shaped association was identified in women. In both Asians and North Americans, alcohol intake was positively associated with BP change, apart from DBP in North Americans.

"Future research should assess the association in women and in different age groups, both of which are currently characterized by limited availability of relevant data," the authors write.

One author disclosed receiving speaker's fees from Bayer, Daiichi Sankyo, Janssen, and Sanofi.

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