Alcohol consumption and prehypertension: an investigation of university youth

Prehypertension and heavy alcohol consumption increase the risk for primary hypertension (PH), a major predictor of cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality. Although undergraduate college students have exhibited prehypertensive blood pressure (BP) levels and more than 40% of undergraduates drink heavily, few researchers have examined both risk factors in the university context. In this study, the authors collected BP and self-reported quantity and frequency of alcohol consumption data from 211 undergraduates (95 women). Logistic regression analyses showed that prehypertensive undergraduates (ie, those with systolic BP > or = 120 mm Hg or diastolic BP > or = 85 mm Hg) were nearly 4 times more likely to consume alcohol levels associated with increased risk for developing PH. Additional research on alcohol and PH among adolescents and undergraduates is needed, with particular reference to mechanisms and reducing the risk for morbidity and mortality emanating from cardiovascular disease.