Alcohol and High Blood Pressure

How Limiting Alcohol Intake Can Affect Your Blood Pressure

According to the American Heart Association (AHA), excessive alcohol consumption can increase your blood pressure. Doctors may recommend decreasing the amount of alcohol you drink if you have high blood pressure or hypertension. Decreasing the amount of alcohol, you drink can help to prevent high blood pressure according to the AHA.

High blood pressure, according to the Mayo Clinic, can cause damage to your blood vessels and heart. Uncontrolled, it may lead to a heart attack or stroke. High blood pressure can be treated, but the earlier it is caught the better. Continued heavy drinking may affect your ability to control your blood pressure. Other risk factors for high blood pressure include lack of physical activity, obesity, smoking, a high sodium diet, age, race, and stress.

As noted by the AHA, in addition to high blood pressure, excessive alcohol consumption can also increase your risk for:

  • Obesity
  • Stroke
  • Breast cancer
  • Liver disease
  • Depression
  • Suicide
  • Accidents

In order to protect your health and your heart, the AHA and other health organizations recommend drinking in moderation, if at all. For some, any alcohol consumption can be unhealthy. If you drink excessively or binge drink, it may be time to consider treatment. For those at risk for Alcohol Use Disorder, it is generally best to consider a path toward sobriety with the help of a professional. Treatment today can include group and individual therapy, alcohol monitoring, AA meetings, and more. There are a number of options to make your journey more individualized and more successful than ever before.