Effects of Alcohol Reduction Interventions on Blood Pressure

Much of alcohol's purported negative impact on a population's health can be attributed to its association with increased blood pressure, rates of hypertension, and incidence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Less attention, however, has been placed on the association of the positive impact of alcohol reduction interventions on physical health.

This review delineates the evidence of blood pressure reductions as a function of alcohol reduction interventions based on current care models. The findings of this review suggest two things: (1) sufficient evidence exists for a relationship between alcohol reductions and blood pressure generally, and (2) little evidence exists for the relationship between alcohol reductions and blood pressure for any one care model currently employed in the health system. The evidence base would benefit from more studies using established alcohol reduction interventions examining the impact of these interventions on blood pressure.