Moderate Drinking Cuts Health Risks for Men With Hypertension, Study Finds

Daily alcohol consumption reduced the risk of cardiovascular heart disease by 44 percent; weekly and monthly drinkers also saw benefits.

Jacob Gaffney
Posted: April 12, 2004

Men with high blood pressure who drank moderately every day showed a 44 percent lower risk of developing cardiovascular heart disease than men with hypertension who did not drink, in a new study from the Worcester Medical Center in Massachusetts. Men who drank a few times a month or each week also had less chance of having a heart attack or stroke than nondrinkers.

The research, published in the March 22 issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine, looked at 14,125 male physicians, ages 40 to 84, who had been diagnosed with hypertension, or high blood pressure.

Past studies have yielded conflicting data on whether men with hypertension may benefit from alcohol consumption, according to the Worcester researchers. They called it a "largely unexamined and controversial question."

The scientists examined data on participants in the larger Physicians' Health Study, which was conducted in the 1980s and looked at the cardiovascular health of a large group of medical professionals. In that study, physicians were asked if they had ever had hypertension. They also provided blood samples and filled out lifestyle questionnaires with information on their exercise, smoking and drinking habits. After five years, the physicians supplied blood samples again. Major illnesses, such as heart attacks and strokes, and deaths that occurred during that time were recorded, as was the cause of death.

For the most recent analysis, the Worcester researchers looked only at the data on men with hypertension. They were divided into four categories based on their drinking habits: rarely or never, monthly (one to three drinks in a month), weekly (up to seven drinks per week), or daily (one or more drinks per day). Whether the men preferred beer, spirits or wine was not examined. The study did not provide a definition of what constituted one drink; medical research often defines a drink as a 1.5- to 2-ounce shot of liquor, a 5- to 7-ounce glass of wine or a 8- to 12-ounce serving of beer.

By looking at the blood samples and examining the causes of death, the researchers determined the men's risk of developing cardiovascular disease, which includes high cholesterol, heart attack and strokes.

Compared to nondrinkers, men who drank monthly had a 17 percent lower chance of cardiovascular disease. Weekly drinkers had a 39 percent lower chance and daily drinkers had a 44 percent lower chance.

The researchers considered daily drinking to be moderate consumption; they noted that only around 3 percent of the men drank more than two drinks a day.

The researchers acknowledged that the study has limitations. For one, health professionals may not adequately represent the general population. The drinking habits of the participants were self-reported and may not be entirely accurate. And, the analysis of the data did not "differentiate a person having one drink each day from one having seven drinks one day per week," they wrote.

The authors recommended consulting with a doctor before making any decisions regarding drinking habits, and noted that the negative effects of heavy drinking could outweigh any specific health benefits.

For a comprehensive look at the potential health benefits of drinking wine, check out senior editor Per-Henrik Mansson's feature Eat Well, Drink Wisely, Live Longer: The Science Behind A Healthy Life With Wine

Read more about the potential health benefits of light to moderate alcohol consumption: