Hypertension is a common condition in alcoholics, affecting approximately 10-30% of drinkers. Alcohol can have a damaging effect on the heart- weakening its contractility, up to:

• alcoholic cardiomyopathy (including enlargement of the heart),
• heartfailure,
• life-threatening arrhythmias, e.g. atrial fibrillation/fluttering, which are often difficult to treat.

Drinking alcohol increases the risk of developing hypertension. When used chronically, it can increase the metabolism of antihypertensive drugs thereby impairing their effect, resulting in poor blood pressure control. On some drugs, alcohol has the opposite effect, e.g. it aggravates the effect of vasodilators such as nitroglycerine used in angina. This can cause fainting, weakness. Pressure fluctuations, sudden drops and spikes can cause rupture of aneurysms, cerebral haemorrhagic strokes.

Alcohol drinkers should stop drinking alcohol in the first place. This is difficult and depends on strong motivation. Drinkers should be actively educated about the disastrous effects of addiction; the impact on the cardiovascular and other systems.