The temptation to drink alcohol even when you feel unwell can haunt people with alcohol addiction. Therefore, it is useful for relatives of people suffering from alcoholism to know whether alcohol is compatible with hypertension.
There are several physiological indicators under which it is better not to drink:
- overweight or obesity;
- predisposition to the formation of blood clots in blood vessels;
- when the walls of blood vessels have weak elasticity;
- increased intracranial pressure;
- swelling or tendency to it;
- diabetes or high blood sugar;
- elevated blood cholesterol levels.
If your relative suffers from such ailments, then drinking alcoholic beverages, even beer, negatively affects health and increases the risk of high blood pressure. By the way, beer has the most negative effect on kidney activity.
If you have hypertension, it is better to refrain from using
alcohol more than once a week. And, of course, the individual norm always plays an important role.
Content:
- The influence of alcohol on indicators
- For hypertension
- At low pressure
- Related factors
- Possible consequences
- Compatibility of alcohol and antihypertensive drugs
- How to stop a rise
The most frequently asked questions to narcologists are whether alcohol increases or decreases blood pressure, and how alcohol affects existing hypertension or hypotension. The widespread belief that under the influence of ethanol blood vessels dilate, helping to normalize blood pressure, is incorrect. Conducted research and collection of statistical data indicate that in most cases of alcohol dependence, hypertension is diagnosed. A trend is also observed in people who regularly drink alcoholic beverages.
Alcohol with low blood pressure
Some people believe that in order to normalize low blood pressure, it is necessary to drink alcoholic beverages in small doses, which are supposedly useful for variable blood pressure levels.
Clinical studies that guide experts confirm the opposite. When drinking the first dose of alcohol, the blood vessels relax even more, which can provoke a so-called crisis in hypotensive patients. This occurs as a result of weakened tone of the arterial walls and accelerated blood flow.
The influence of alcohol on indicators
To understand the issue, consider the effect of ethanol on blood vessels. In a healthy person, small doses lead to a slight decrease in blood pressure. The effect is due to the toxic effect on the neurons of the vasomotor center of the medulla oblongata, which is responsible for the tone of arteries, veins and capillaries. Temporary relaxation of the vascular walls occurs, thereby increasing the internal lumen. The action is felt as a general relaxation, a spreading of warmth throughout the body.
When drinking a large volume, the opposite reaction develops, causing vasospasm. The vascular lumen sharply narrows, blood flow slows down, accumulating in certain zones, and a sharp increase in indicators is observed. An addict or drinker with a history of hypertension may develop a hypertensive crisis. With systematic abuse, unexpected changes are likely.
For hypertension
In case of illness, alcohol causes jumps up to critical levels. The mechanism is as follows: relaxation is followed by a sharp spasm and the release of stress hormones into the blood. The heart rate accelerates, the organ pumps blood faster, thereby raising blood pressure.
Frequent consumption, especially in large quantities, is strictly contraindicated for hypertensive patients. Changes in blood flow caused by periodic relaxation and spasms worsen the condition of the body. Lack of oxygen and nutrients has a detrimental effect on health.
This is especially noticeable in people suffering from alcoholism, when there is a lack of vitamins and minerals. Not only does the risk of cardiovascular pathologies increase, but also premature wear and tear of the entire system.
Diseases
Hypertension and alcohol are considered a dangerous combination, since drinking alcohol with this disease is not recommended. Many experts advise patients suffering from arterial hypertension to stop drinking alcohol altogether. If they do not want to give up alcohol altogether, they will have to reduce the dose as much as possible.
When people with high blood pressure drink alcohol, the likelihood of serious complications increases by 60-80%.
Allergy
Alcohol has unpredictable effects on allergy sufferers. When drinking alcohol, a rash appears on the surface of the skin, which causes severe itching. But that's not all, because these symptoms are accompanied by a serious drop in blood pressure.
There were cases when blood pressure dropped to critical values - 55/45 mm Hg. Consequently, many doctors advise all allergy sufferers to avoid drinking alcohol in any quantity.
At low pressure
With hypotension, the walls of blood vessels are dilated and are in a state of decreased tone. Under the influence of small doses of ethyl alcohol, the muscles of the vascular walls relax even more, thereby reducing the pressure of blood flow. The blood supply to the extremities and brain deteriorates, and the ensuing hypoxia causes drowsiness. It is for this reason that a drunk person feels numbness in his legs and dizziness.
Regular drinking leads to increased pressure and even greater stretching of the walls. The accumulation of cholesterol and changes in blood composition provoke the formation of blood clots and atherosclerotic plaques. 5-6 hours after a heavy libation, dehydration of the body occurs, hemoconcentration of the blood increases, that is, its thickening. In this regard, the formation of blood clots and the complete deterioration of blood supply, especially small capillaries, increases.
Low blood pressure from a hangover
A hangover often manifests itself in the form of low blood pressure. The human body, saturated with toxic ethanol, launches a system for removing its decay products. This occurs through the sweat glands, with urination and vomiting. Dehydration occurs. As a rule, a person in this state sleeps for a long time, waking up, feeling overwhelmed and weak. Experiences unbearable thirst. This is a dangerous condition. A sharp drop in blood pressure can trigger cardiac arrest. Treating a hangover at home does not require taking serious medications. To stabilize the condition it is necessary:
- Open the windows or go outside - the brain needs oxygen.
- Replenish the lack of fluid.
- Drink Enterosgel, activated or white carbon. Take the medicine according to the instructions.
- Take a warm bath, thereby restoring blood circulation in the peripheral vessels of the extremities to normal levels.
Remember - if your condition worsens, you should urgently call emergency help.
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Related factors
In addition to the dosage, the patient’s age, existing diseases and even the type of drink are affected. Under the age of 40, changes are practically not felt even after prolonged use. Over 40 and up to 55 years, 67% of people experience symptoms of blood pressure surges. In old age, almost every person who drinks has problems with the functioning of the cardiovascular system.
Existing pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, as well as the kidneys and endocrine system, greatly increase the risk of hypertension with systematic use and the presence of chronic alcoholism . Also, aggravating factors are considered to be a tendency to blood clots, elevated cholesterol levels or diabetes mellitus, intracranial hypertension.
There is an opinion that cognac relieves spasms and normalizes blood flow, but the temporary effect has already been written above. Taking wine in therapeutic doses is also not justified. Even the consumption of a small amount does not go unnoticed and causes damage to health.
It is better not to drink alcohol if you are obese and prone to swelling. This will only make the condition worse.
Binge drinking
Excessive drinking never ends well, especially for a person's health. Blood pressure rises sharply after overeating and makes people feel sick. Former alcoholics complain of constant headaches, nausea, and problems with the circulatory system. Analapril or Diroton are recommended to normalize blood pressure.
The consequences of stoned alcoholism can also be combated using traditional methods:
- Garlic with honey. To prepare a medicinal mixture, 200 grams of honey are mixed with 50 ml of garlic juice. The drug prepared in this way is taken twice a day before meals.
- Horseradish. Grate 300 grams of plant root and add three liters of water. Then the mixture is placed on a gas stove and boiled for 20 minutes. Strain the resulting solution and drink three times a day.
Possible consequences
Among the heart pathologies caused by systematic abuse, the most common are:
- chronic heart failure;
- alcoholic cardiomyopathy;
- organic and functional myocardial lesions, ischemic heart disease;
- arrhythmias.
The danger is posed by changes caused by prolonged binge drinking or a state of abstinence, during which severe complications develop.
- Ischemic strokes, accompanied by impaired cerebral circulation, leading to partial paralysis and disability.
- Arrhythmias, manifested either by a rapid heartbeat or a slowdown.
- Hypertensive or hypotensive crises are cases of sustained decrease or increase, tolerant to the action of drugs.
- Myocardial infarction, causing partial impairment or loss of pumping function.
- Transient ischemic attacks are cerebral circulatory disorders that cause neurological abnormalities: speech disorders, loss of memory or motor functions, paresis.
Alcohol increases and sometimes decreases blood pressure. In addition, it neutralizes the effects of drugs to normalize blood pressure. Because of this, during horse racing, the attack cannot be controlled with medication.
How to quickly reduce blood pressure after binge drinking with the help of medications?
To date, there is no clinical data on the effectiveness of specific medications in the treatment of high blood pressure after binge drinking. 2 mg of dexamethasone per day suppresses acute alcoholic hypertension in humans. ACE inhibitors and angiotensin type 1 (AT1) receptor blockers are also thought to reduce blood pressure after binge drinking.
It is possible to use drugs such as Captopress or Captopril, but it is better not to get carried away with them, since they have a strong diuretic effect and flush potassium from the body.
Angiotensin II type 1 receptor blockade prevents alcoholic cardiomyopathy in dogs. Calcium channel blockers, because of the potential for calcium involvement in the development of alcoholic hypertension, may also lower blood pressure after binge drinking.
Compatibility of alcohol and antihypertensive drugs
If you are diagnosed with hypertension and take daily medications, you should stop drinking strong drinks, since ethanol reduces the effectiveness of the drugs. On rare occasions you can drink a glass of good wine.
The use of most antihypertensive drugs during or after drinking any alcoholic beverages is also prohibited. A proven medicine, when interacting with ethyl alcohol, can give an unexpected side reaction.
Carefully read the instructions for the drug for interactions, since taking certain medications together is potentially dangerous to health and life.
Combination of alcoholic beverages with medications for hypertension
Combining alcohol intake with drug treatment for hypertension is not allowed. Patients taking medications for high blood pressure are advised to avoid drinking alcohol on the day of taking the medications. Ethanol present in the body increases the toxicity of medications and increases the risk of adverse reactions. Each drug has a huge list of possible side effects, sometimes causing death.
Before taking alcoholic beverages, you should check the compatibility of the medications you are taking with alcohol and read the instructions for the medication. If you plan to celebrate any holiday, you can do without alcohol. As a last resort, you can postpone taking the prescribed medication to the next day. Preference should be given to sober communication with close friends, avoiding the development of a negative scenario with an uncertain ending.
Medicines for hypertension should not be taken independently in cases of pressure surges that occur as a result of deep and prolonged drinking, as this can aggravate the condition. The first thing to do is try to get out of the binge, unless of course the situation is critical. After cleansing the body of ethanol breakdown products, you can begin treating hypertension. It is not always possible to get out of binge drinking on your own without qualified medical help. A rapid increase in blood pressure and alcohol poisoning can lead to the death of the patient. Therefore, in case of sudden jumps in blood pressure, you should urgently seek help. The indication for calling an ambulance is systolic pressure above 180 mmHg. If the systolic pressure is below 180 mm Hg, you need to quit the binge, gradually reducing the amount of alcohol taken.
It is necessary to monitor your blood pressure all the time. If it continues to grow, and in addition to this, disturbing symptoms appear, you need to call an ambulance. If you manage to get out of the binge smoothly, you can begin to lower blood pressure using a special treatment regimen after binge drinking.
How to stop high blood pressure during abstinence
When drinking strong alcohol, sharp changes are characteristic. What to do when alcohol lowers or increases blood pressure during withdrawal:
- measure indicators;
- if a jump of more than 20% of the individual norm is detected, call emergency medical help;
- if the jump is less than 20%, you need to drink more fluid to prevent dehydration.
Taking sorbents - polysorb, enterosgel, activated carbon will help remove toxins faster.
If you have existing diseases, you should stop drinking alcohol. A timely visit to a narcologist will help with this.
Literature:
- Risk factors for arterial hypertension / V. R. Weber, B. B. Fishman; Feder. education agency, Novgorod. state University named after Yaroslav the Wise, Novgorod. scientific Center of the Northwestern Branch of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences. — St. Petersburg: Novgor. state univ., 2005 (St. Petersburg: Printing house “Science”). — 207 p.
- Hypertension. High blood pressure disease [Electronic resource]: blood pressure control, non-drug methods for treating hypertension, lowering blood pressure with the DASH diet: 12+ / P. A. Fadeev. - Moscow: Eksmo, 2014. - 430 p.
- Alcohol and arterial hypertension / Ostroumova Olga Dmitrievna, Saperova Ekaterina Vladimirovna / 2014 / Rational pharmacotherapy in cardiology.
- Changes in the daily blood pressure profile under the influence of systematic alcohol consumption / Zhirov I.V., Ogurtsov P.P., Shelepin A.A. / 2000 / Bulletin of the Peoples' Friendship University of Russia. Series: Medicine.
Phases of intoxication
The effect of alcohol on the body also depends on the degree of intoxication. First, a person's blood vessels dilate, making them more flexible. It also promotes better blood flow and lower blood pressure. After drinking alcohol, the heart beats faster, so blood begins to circulate faster through the chambers. This leads not only to a drop in blood pressure, but also to poor blood flow in certain parts of the body. Therefore, some do not advise drinking in the cold, so as not to accidentally freeze your limbs.
Successive phases of intoxication are accompanied by a gradual increase in blood pressure and activation of the nervous system.
