Drinking on an empty stomach may also heighten the risk of dizziness and lightheadedness. Patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure or pre-existing conditions, such as liver disease or heart failure, may be advised to avoid alcohol entirely. The best guidance comes from a prescribing physician, who can assess the risk based on the specific drug class and dosage. For individuals taking medication to manage their blood pressure, the safest choice is often complete abstinence. Those who choose to drink should do so with extreme caution and always consult their healthcare provider.
Short-Term Impact
Exercise helps strengthen your heart and blood vessels, alcohol rehab making them more efficient at pumping blood throughout your body. Through multiple lifestyle measures — including keeping alcohol intake moderate — most hypertension cases can be effectively managed long-term. Discuss all strategies with your physicians, given your medical history and risks. Lowering alcohol consumption will reduce the chances of high blood pressure-related side effects. According to the American College of Cardiology, adjusting from heavy to moderate alcohol consumption can decrease the likelihood of developing high blood pressure from 69% to 53%. Avoiding alcohol altogether is the safest option for lowering your blood pressure.
- Chronic heavy drinking can strain the liver, altering the rate at which the drug is broken down.
- This temporary effect can actually lower your blood pressure for a few hours after drinking.
- Flexible treatment option allowing clients to continue going to work or school.
Considerations With Alcohol and Blood Pressure Medications
Medications like alpha-blockers and vasodilators are particularly prone to this interaction, which can result in orthostatic hypotension—a sharp fall in blood pressure upon standing. This excessive drop can cause dizziness, lightheadedness, and fainting, increasing the risk of falls and accidents. Alcohol’s effect on blood pressure is complex and depends heavily on the amount and frequency of consumption. Acutely, a moderate amount of alcohol can cause a temporary drop in blood pressure due to its initial vasodilating effect, which widens blood vessels. However, this is often followed by a rebound increase in blood pressure several hours later, accompanied by an elevated heart rate. However, experts believe these effects may result from differences between people who drink moderately and those who do not.
Limit Your Alcohol Consumption
You bring up a good topic in regards to blood pressure and alcohol consumption. Alcohol has varying effects on blood pressure and it can be somewhat confusing. There are three situations in which the effects of alcohol on blood pressure are well known. If you are taking blood pressure medications and plan on having alcohol, it is best to first speak to your doctor to find out if this will cause problems. You should never assume that even a small amount of alcohol is safe until you have first talked to your physician.
How Much Alcohol Affects Blood Pressure Readings?
One way it may do this is by lowering levels of an enzyme that raises blood pressure called Angiotensin Converting Enzyme, or ACE. Water is one of the best drinks to stay hydrated and can help regulate blood pressure, can dehydration cause high blood pressure? Additionally, doses of over 240 mL were also able to reduce diastolic blood pressure. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes that if a person has hypertension, they may have a higher risk of conditions such as heart attack, stroke, can you drink alcohol with high blood pressure and heart disease.