A new study has said that routinely drinking alcohol, as little as one drink per day, is linked to elevated blood pressure readings even in adults without hypertension, according to a report in CNN. The research has been published in the American Heart Association's journal Hypertension. It analysed data from seven international studies conducted between 1997 and 2021 and found that individuals who consumed just one alcoholic beverage daily had a higher likelihood of experiencing increased blood pressure compared to those who abstained from alcohol altogether.
"We found no beneficial effects in adults who drank a low level of alcohol compared to those who did not drink alcohol," Dr Marco Vinceti, the senior author of the study, said in a news release. "We were somewhat surprised to see that consuming an already-low level of alcohol was also linked to higher blood pressure changes over time compared to no consumption - although far less than the blood pressure increase seen in heavy drinkers."
The analysis included data from over 19,000 adults in the United States, Korea, and Japan, said the CNN report. To ensure consistency across countries with varying types and sizes of beverages, alcohol consumption was measured in grams rather than the number of drinks to measure a "standard drink". The World Health Organization (WHO), for example, sets the standard at 10 grams of alcohol per drink, while the US defines it as 14 grams.
The study found that negative impact of alcohol on systolic blood pressure continued to rise over the years, even in men and women who drank little each day.
"Both systolic and diastolic readings contribute to (cardiovascular) risk and go hand in hand, but of the two, systolic blood pressure is definitely the most important risk factor in adults," the outlet quoted study co-author Dr Paul Whelton as saying.
Blood pressure is measured in millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). A blood pressure measurement has two numbers: The top number (systolic) when the heart muscle squeezes, pumping blood, and the bottom number (diastolic), which is the pressure measured between heartbeats. As per American Heart Association, the systolic reading is a "major risk factor for cardiovascular disease for people over 50".
A normal systolic reading is typically 120 mm Hg or below but tends to rise as blood vessels weaken and narrow with age. A normal diastolic reading is below 80 mm Hg but begins to decline with age as arteries lose their elasticity and stiffen.
High blood pressure is known as a "silent killer" and can increase a person's risk of heart attack, stroke, chronic kidney disease and other serious conditions.
