Drinking Alcohol And Blood Pressure

Alcohol And Blood Pressure Medication

You may not think about a connection between drinking alcohol and blood pressure, but there definitely is one. Drinking alcohol actually has a direct impact on your blood pressure - both short term and long term.

Drinking too much alcohol can actually raise your blood pressure, which can be a serious problem for anyone who already has hypertension (high blood pressure). However, it's also dangerous to people with a normal blood pressure because drinking alcohol can cause you to develop hypertension over time.

Here are some other important facts about drinking alcohol and blood pressure:

·   Drinking alcohol can cause weight gain, increasing blood pressure

·   Cutting back from heavy drinking to moderate drinking can have a significant impact on lowering blood pressure

·   Too much alcohol can also affect your liver, heart health and brain

Alcohol and blood pressure medication Another thing that people who already have hypertension should note is that the medications you are taking for your high blood pressure can react negatively with alcohol. Each time you drink alcohol along with your blood pressure medications, you could be counteracting the beneficial effects of the medication. If you are uncertain about whether or not you can drink alcohol with the blood pressure medications, talk to your doctor about it right away.

It's important to take a proactive approach to your health. When you know you are high risk for high blood pressure or that you have already been diagnosed with hypertension, it's a good time to begin doing something about it. Watching your alcohol intake is one of these things. While drinking alcohol can be an enjoyable and relaxing, it's not worth the risk of your overall health and well being.

Moderate drinking is recommended by doctors, especially for those already at risk of blood pressure problems. However, what constitutes moderate drinking can be different according to who you ask. As an overall guideline, one drink for women and two drinks for men per day is considered "moderate".

What constitutes a "drink" also depends on what type of alcohol you are drinking. On average, health care professionals consider one drink to be 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer and 1 ½ ounces of 80-proof whiskey.

If you have been a heavy drinker, dropping the amount of alcohol you consume can have a direct impact on your blood pressure. How much it lowers it will depend on different factors such as your weight, other health conditions, how much you drank and how much you cut back, your age, your current blood pressure as well as other medical conditions.

If you have a problem with quitting or cutting back on your alcohol consumption or if you fear you may have an alcohol addiction, it's important to talk to your doctor right away about possible treatment options. Alcohol addiction can cause many problems, not only high blood pressure. 

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