ASSOCIATION BETWEEN BLOOD-PRESSURE AND LIFETIME DRINKING PATTERNS IN MODERATE DRINKERS

Objective: To compare the relationship between blood pressure and rece nt vs lifetime alcohol intake measures in a nonalcoholic cohort using measures that normalized alcohol intake in terms of the volume of dist ribution for ethanol (total body water) for each subject. Method: Corr elations between blood pressure and alcohol intake measures were deter mined in a cohort of 84 (48 male) normotensive moderate drinkers, usin g multiple linear regressions to correct for the influence of potentia lly confounding variables. Results: Significant correlations were obse rved between systolic pressure and measures of both recent and lifetim e alcohol consumption in men. Diastolic pressure was found to be signi ficantly associated only with the duration of lifetime drinking, and o nly in women. Measures of lifetime total dose were not significantly c orrelated with either systolic or diastolic pressure. Alcohol intake e xpressed in terms of the number of ''drinks'' per drinking day was as highly associated with blood pressure (systolic) in men as were measur es that normalized alcohol intake in terms of the body water content o f each subject. A measure of the mean number of drinks consumed on dri nking occasions over the drinking career produced the highest correlat ions with systolic pressure. Conclusions: Measures of both recent and lifetime alcohol intake may be relevant to the understanding of alcoho l-blood pressure relationships.