title: The effects of alcohol on ambulatory blood pressure and other cardiovascular risk factors in type 2 diabetes: a randomized intervention.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although prospective studies suggest light-to-moderate chronic alcohol intake protects against coronary artery disease in type 2 diabetic patients, the balance of effects on individual cardiovascular risk factors needs further assessment. We examined the effects of alcohol consumption on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fibrinogen, C-reactive protein, homocysteine, and glycaemic control in well controlled type 2 diabetes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-four participants aged 49-66 year were randomized to a three-period crossover study with women drinking red wine 230  ml/day (∼24  g alcohol/day) and men drinking red wine 300  ml/day (∼31  g alcohol/day), or equivalent volumes of dealcoholized red wine (DRW) or water, each for 4 weeks. Ambulatory BP and HR were monitored every 30  min for 24  h at the end of each period. Home blood glucose monitoring was carried out twice weekly throughout.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Red wine increased awake SBP and DBP relative to water by 2.5 ± 1.2 /1.9 ± 0.7  mmHg (P = 0.033, P = 0.008, respectively), with a similar nonsignificant trend relative to DRW. Asleep DBP fell with red wine relative to DRW (2.0 ± 0.8  mmHg, P = 0.016) with a similar nonsignificant trend relative to water. Red wine increased 24-h, awake and asleep HR relative to water and DRW. Relative to DRW, red wine did not affect glycaemic control or any other cardiovascular risk factor.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In well controlled type 2 diabetic individuals 24-31  g alcohol/day (∼2-3 standard drinks) raises awake BP and 24-h HR and lowers asleep BP but does not otherwise favourably or adversely modify cardiovascular risk factors.
authors.affiliation: aSchool of Medicine and Pharmacology, Royal Perth Hospital Unit, University of Western Australia, Perth bCentre for Population Health Research, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, Western Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Trevor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Mori
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Burke
authors.forename: Renate R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Zilkens
authors.forename: Jonathan M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hodgson
authors.forename: Lawrence J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: Beilin
authors.forename: Ian B
authors.initials: IB
authors.lastname: Puddey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D018660:Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000378:metabolism*; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D006339:Heart Rate; D006710:Homocysteine / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014920:Wine
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D006710:Homocysteine; D005340:Fibrinogen; D002097:C-Reactive Protein