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Factsheet
Introduction
Hypertension, a form of sustained high blood pressure, is a condition experienced by more than one in
four adults in England, and alcohol is a major contributory factor in its development. A wealth of clinical
research and studies from all over the world have confirmed regularly drinking alcohol raises blood pressure
and significantly increases the chance of people developing hypertension in the future.
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75%
Alcohol
45%
In 2013, one is
in ten
people drank five days a week. This puts
5
1/2
What is Hypertension?
Hypertension is the medical term for having
persistently high blood pressure, when your heart
has to work harder to push blood around your
body. It is normally written as two numbers, e.g.
120/80mmHG.
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WOMEN
Should not exceed
2-3 units per day
MEN
45%
is 45%
WOMEN
WOMEN
Should not exceed
2-3 units per day
was Drinking
in 1980
heavy amounts of alcohol raises blood pressure
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1/2
1/2
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Drinking Patterns:
Its the amount that counts
The total volume of alcohol consumed is the most important
indicator for hypertensive risk. Although binge drinkers are
often found to have slightly higher blood pressure and a
higher risk of hypertension than regular drinkers, the effect
is only small when compared to the total amount of alcohol
consumption. Regardless of whether people drink every day
or weekly, the more alcohol they drink the higher the risk of
developing hypertension.
2
MEN
Should not exceed
Red wine is good for you:
a myth debunked
3-4 units per day
Should not exceed 3-4 units per day
MEN
Should not exceed
The French Paradox however has been proved to be
3-4 units per day
a myth. Studies have found no noticeable difference
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MEN
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Final Word
Regularly drinking alcohol drastically increases
the chance of developing hypertension. The risk
can increase after having just one drink a day,
and gets progressively higher the more alcohol
consumed. This relationship remains regardless
of age, gender, weight, ethnicity, diet, whether
people exercise regularly or whether they
smoke. Hypertension substantially increases
the chance of stroke, heart disease, vascular
dementia and chronic kidney disease, which
means regularly drinking alcohol can pose
significant health risks.
Knott, C. Et al, All cause mortality and the case for age specific
alcohol consumption guidelines: pooled analyses of up to 10
population based cohorts, British Medical Journal, 2015, Vol 350,
< http://www.bmj.com/content/bmj/350/bmj.h384.full.pdf >,
[accessed 17 March 2015]
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Jones, L., Bellis, M. Updating England-specific AlcoholAttributable fractions, Centre for Public Health and Liverpool
John Moores University, 2013, < http://www.cph.org.uk/
wp-content/uploads/2014/03/24892-ALCOHOL-FRACTIONSREPORT-A4-singles-24.3.14.pdf>, [accessed 11/03/15], p. 22
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Pajak, A. Et al, Binge drinking and blood pressure: CrossSectional Results of the HAPIEE study, PLoS One, June 2014
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www.alcoholconcern.org.uk
Registered Charity No.291705