Alcohol intake and atherosclerotic risk factors in normotensive and prehypertensive men

The purpose of this study was to determine whether relationships between alcohol intake and atherosclerotic risk factors were different in normotensive and prehypertensive persons.

Japanese men aged 35-60 years who showed normal blood pressure (n = 4,778) or prehypertension (n = 9,728) without any drug therapy for hypertension were divided into non, light (<22 g ethanol/day), heavy (≥ 22 and < 44 g ethanol/day) and very heavy (≥ 44 g ethanol/day) drinkers.

In subjects with prehypertension, body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference were significantly lower and smaller, respectively, in light, heavy and very heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers. In subjects with normal blood pressure, BMI was significantly lower in light and heavy drinkers but not in very heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers, and waist circumference was not significantly different in non, light and heavy drinkers and was significantly larger in very heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers. Both in the prehypertensive and normotensive groups, compared with nondrinkers, hemoglobin A(1C) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol were significantly lower and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol was significantly higher in light, heavy and very heavy drinkers, and log-converted triglycerides was significantly higher in very heavy drinkers.

The association of alcohol intake with a lower occurrence of obesity is stronger in prehypertensives than in normotensives, while the associations of alcohol intake with lower occurrences of hyperglycemia and abnormal cholesterol profile, such as lowered HDL cholesterol and elevated LDL cholesterol, and a higher occurrence of elevated triglycerides are similar in normotensive and prehypertensive persons.