by Michael Woodhead

Among heavy drinkers, reducing alcohol consumption has a potent antihypertensive effect that may be just as important as pharmacotherapy, a US trial (link) has found.

Blood pressure reductions of 12mmHg systolic and 8mmHg diastolic were seen in hypertensive patients taking part in a trial of alcohol dependence interventiuons, researchers report in the journal Addiction (103: 1622-28) this month.

The study of almost 1400 alcohol-dependent patients being treated with naltrexone or acamprosate found that the reductions in BP were seen in the first few weeks of starting treatment and were sustained among those who maintained abstinence or reduced alcohol consumption during the 16 week trial.

The antihypertensive effect was seen in both men and women and among people of all ages.

“If maintained in the long term, such reductions would be expected to result in improved survival,” the study authors say.

They note that it is already known that consuming more than two drinks a day is associated with higher BP, and they say their results suggest that hypertensive patients be screened for heavy drinking.

“For alcohol dependent people, treatment for alcoholism should be considered a major component of anti-hypertensive therapy,” they conclude.