Are high blood pressure and drinking alcohol mutually exclusive? There are many myths about the effects of alcohol on high blood pressure. It is worth finding out how people with hypertension can react to alcohol.

There are many myths about theeffect of alcohol on blood pressure . Some say that percentage drinks causeto increase blood pressure , while others say percentages lower it. So what is the truth? To drink or not to drink - that is the question! The program "Cała Polska healshypertension " decided to explain how it really is.

The effect of alcohol on hypertension - facts and myths

It is surprising that there is a grain of truth in both opposing views on the harmfulness of alcohol. In fact, alcohol consumption causes a temporarypressure dropby about 4mmHg, but unfortunately, after about 6 consecutive hours, it increases again by as much as 7 mmHg, and this elevated level is maintained for longer time. It should therefore be emphasized that despite the initial drop in pressure, alcohol ultimately leads to its increase.

How much alcohol harms us?

We often hear the statement that alcohol consumed in small amounts does not harm your he alth. However, it is worthwhile to establish what is meant by "a small amount". Scientists determined that the norm of daily alcohol consumption, which should not be exceeded, is 0.5 - 1 unit of alcohol for women and 2 units for men. A unit is approx. 8 g of pure ethanol, which usually translates into a glass of vodka (50 ml), wine (125 ml) or beer (300 ml). As you can see, gender plays a significant role in determining the consumption of alcohol. Due to the greater amount of adipose tissue in which alcohol does not dissolve, it is women who are more susceptible to the effects of alcohol percentages. It is also worth emphasizing that in women who regularly consume more than 3 drinks a day, the risk of hypertension increases up to 90%!

Alcohol and medications for hypertension

All those undergoing drug treatmentfor high blood pressure , in particular, should exercise caution and common sense about drinking alcohol. Alcohol very often affects the action of drugs and is not infrequently aggravatedthe occurrence of side effects. It may make you feel weak and faint when you combine it with, for example, vasodilators. That is why people treating hypertension should limit the percentages, especially in the hours close to taking the pills.

Category:

Cardiology