Heavy consumption of alcohol has a deep rooted association with hypertension. However, whether moderate alcohol consumption has a similar effect or not remains unknown. This relationship is not well‐studied in patients with diabetes mellitus. This study aimed to describe alcohol consumption associated with prevalent hypertension in participants in the ACCORD (Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes) trial.
Alcohol consumption was categorized as none, light (1–7 drinks per week), moderate (8–14 drinks per week), and heavy (more than 15 drinks per week). Blood pressure was categorized using the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association guidelines, elevated blood pressure, stage 1 hypertension, and stage 2 hypertension. Multivariable logistic regression was used to explore the association between prevalent hypertension and alcohol consumption. A total of 10,200 eligible participants were analyzed. Light alcohol consumption was not associated with elevated blood pressure or any stage of hypertension. Moderate alcohol consumption was associated with stage 1, and stage 2 hypertension and elevated blood pressure.
In conclusion, the study findings demonstrate that moderate alcohol consumption is associated with elevated cardiovascular risk and hypertension in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus despite prior research. A dose‐risk relationship has also been observed between the degree of hypertension and the amount of alcohol consumed.
Ref: https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/JAHA.120.017334
