Abstract

BACKGROUND: Alcoholism means compulsive and uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages usually to the detriment of drinker’s health, personal relationship and social standing. Alcohol disrupts the normal homeostasis of our body and causes many neurological problems, hepatic problems, renal failure and cardiovascular diseases like heart failure, stroke, hypertension, coronary heart disease and peripheral vascular disease¹. One of the major cardiovascular disease caused by alcohol on a long term use is hypertension but some studies say that alcohol has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system². OBJECTIVES: The present study aims to study the acute effect of alcohol consumption on blood pressure in chronic alcoholics and to find out any associated neurological problems like memory loss, mood changes and sleep disturbances. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted on 50 male chronic alcoholics who are not known hypertensives. Blood pressure was recorded using a mercuric sphygmomanometer before, after 5minutes and after 1 hour of alcohol consumption (2 units of alcohol [1 unit =44.5ml]). RESULTS: There was a significant rise in systolic blood pressure immediately after alcohol consumption (p<0.001) and the mean rise in systolic blood pressure was 4.72 mm Hg and after one hour it fell down by 2.96 mmHg from the initial rise. The mean rise in diastolic blood pressure was 2.64 mmHg immediately (p<0.0001) and after one hour it reached the baseline level. So it may concluded that the predominant acute effect of alcohol on blood pressure is a rise in systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

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