Influence of alcohol intake on circadian blood pressure variation in Japanese men: the Ohasama study.
BACKGROUND
Both a large habitual alcohol intake and a pattern of circadian blood pressure (BP) variation characterized by a high morning/daytime BP have been reported to be risk factors for cerebral hemorrhage. Therefore, the association between these two factors was examined.


METHODS
A total of 194 men in the general population of Ohasama underwent ambulatory BP measurement, completed a lifestyle questionnaire, and were classified into three categories according to current alcohol consumption: nondrinkers, light drinkers, and heavy drinkers. Two-hour moving averages of BP (2h-BP) were used to compare BP variation during a 24-h period among the drinking categories. 2h-BP Dif (defined as 2h-BP 2 h after waking minus 2h-BP 2 h before waking) and the percentage decline in nocturnal BP were also assessed as indicators of circadian BP variation. Multivariate analysis was conducted after adjustment for possible confounding factors including daily salt intake.


RESULTS
Analysis of 2h-BP revealed that BP variation in drinkers had specific characteristics: a rapid BP increase before waking and higher morning BP levels (P = 0.0001). 2h-BP Dif was significantly higher in heavy drinkers than in nondrinkers (P = 0.04), while there was no significant association between drinking status and the magnitude of the nocturnal BP decline.


CONCLUSIONS
Habitual alcohol intake was associated with a higher 2h-BP Dif.
Nakashita
Manami
M
Department of Planning for Drug Development and Clinical Evaluation, Tohoku University Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Medicine, Sendai, Japan.
Ohkubo
Takayoshi
T
Hara
Azusa
A
Metoki
Hirohito
H
Kikuya
Masahiro
M
Hirose
Takuo
T
Tsubota-Utsugi
Megumi
M
Asayama
Kei
K
Inoue
Ryusuke
R
Kanno
Atsuhiro
A
Obara
Taku
T
Hoshi
Haruhisa
H
Totsune
Kazuhito
K
Satoh
Hiroshi
H
Imai
Yutaka
Y
D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires