Does alcohol raise blood pressure?

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a major risk factor for heart and circulatory diseases.

But, while risk factors for high blood pressure like eating too much salt, physical inactivity and obesity are well-known, the risk that comes from drinking too much alcohol is often overlooked.

Alcohol’s effect on blood pressure depends on how much and how often you drink.

Alcohol can stop brain receptors that help regulate blood pressure from working properly.

Having more than 3 alcoholic drinks in a sitting can cause a temporary rise. This is because alcohol stimulates the nervous system, which increases the heart rate and narrows blood vessels, leading to a short term rise in blood pressure. 

However, regularly having more than 4 alcoholic drinks in a sitting can have a lasting effect on your health. 

It can stop receptors in the brain that help regulate blood pressure from working properly, which stops your body from responding to changes in blood pressure and can lead long-term high blood pressure.

This puts strain on your heart muscle and can damage blood vessel walls, which can lead to fatty material building up on blood vessel walls (atherosclerosis), which increases the risk of a heart attack or stroke. 

You may have read that some alcoholic drinks, like red wine, are better for your health than others. But too much of any type of alcohol will negatively affect your blood pressure. 

Alcohol is also high in calories and can lead to weight gain, which is another risk factor for high blood pressure. 

To lessen the health risks, NHS guidelines recommend drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol a week. That’s the same as 6 pints of beer or 6 small glasses of wine.

Cutting back or quitting alcohol has been shown to lower blood pressure.

They also recommend avoiding binge drinking.

Binge drinking is when you drink a large amount (more than 6 units or 2 large glasses of wine) in a short space of time. It can cause significant spikes in blood pressure with repeated binge-drinking episodes leading to long-term increases in blood pressure.

Sticking to these limits is especially important if you’re at risk of, or already have, high blood pressure. You may consider drinking less or no alcohol. 

Cutting back or quitting alcohol has been shown to lower blood pressure. Staying physically active, eating a healthy diet, having a healthy weight and avoiding smoking will also help keep your blood pressure healthy.

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