ALCOHOL INTAKE AND CARDIOVASCULAR MORTALITY IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS - REPORT FROM THE DEPARTMENT-OF-HEALTH HYPERTENSION CARE COMPUTING PROJECT

Objective: To determine the benefits and risks of drinking alcohol in treated hypertensives. Design: A prospective study of 6369 hypertensiv es (3161 men) attending primarily hospital clinics in the UK. Methods: Relative risks both for drinkers compared with non-drinkers and for l evel of alcohol consumption were calculated for mortality from ischaem ic heart disease, stroke, non-circulatory and all causes. Results: At presentation 76% of the men and 48% of the women reported recent alcoh ol consumption. Compared with drinkers, non-drinkers were older, less likely to smoke and had a higher untreated blood pressure. After adjus tment for confounding factors, male drinkers had a reduced risk of str oke mortality and possibly of ischaemic heart disease mortality. Simil ar results were observed in women for stroke mortality but not for isc haemic heart disease mortality. The trend remained after adjustment fo r previous cardiovascular disease. In men the lowest risk of ischaemic heart disease mortality occurred at intakes of >21 units per week and stroke mortality was lowest at 1-10 units per week. Men consuming >21 units per week had a twofold higher non-circulatory mortality. Total mortality was lowest in men who drank 1-10 units per week. Similar eff ects of alcohol on cardiovascular mortality were observed in women. Co nclusions: Alcohol intake may reduce stroke mortality in treated hyper tensives. Ischaemic heart disease mortality in men may also be reduced , especially at higher intakes (>21 units per week). The beneficial ef fects were offset by increasing incidence of non-circulatory causes of death. Alcohol consumption of 1-10 units per week was associated with the lowest mortality in men.