Alcohol-induced hypertension: Mechanism and prevention

Epidemiological, preclinical and clinical studies es-tablished the association between high alcohol con-sumption and hypertension. However the mechanism through which alcohol raises blood pressure remains elusive. Several possible mechanisms have been pro-posed such as an imbalance of the central ne...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inWorld journal of cardiology Vol. 6; no. 5; pp. 245 - 252
Main Authors Husain, Kazim, Ansari, Rais A, Ferder, Leon
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States Baishideng Publishing Group Inc 26.05.2014
Subjects
Alcohol
endothelium
Hypertension
Mechanisms
Prevention/treatment
Topic Highlight
Vascular
Hypertension
Alcohol
Vascular endothelium
Mechanisms
Prevention/treatment
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Summary:Epidemiological, preclinical and clinical studies es-tablished the association between high alcohol con-sumption and hypertension. However the mechanism through which alcohol raises blood pressure remains elusive. Several possible mechanisms have been pro-posed such as an imbalance of the central nervous system, impairment of the baroreceptors, enhanced sympathetic activity, stimulation of the renin-angio-tensin-aldosterone system, increased cortisol levels, increased vascular reactivity due to increase in intracel-lular calcium levels, stimulation of the endothelium to release vasoconstrictors and loss of relaxation due to inflammation and oxidative injury of the endothelium leading to inhibition of endothelium-dependent nitric oxide production. Loss of relaxation due to inflamma-tion and oxidative injury of the endothelium by angio-tensin II leading to inhibition of endothelium-dependent nitric oxide production is the major contributors of the alcohol-induced hypertension. For the prevention of alcohol-induced hypertension is to reduce the amount of alcohol intake. Physical conditioning/exercise trainingis one of the most important strategies to prevent/treat chronic alcohol-induced hypertension on physiological basis. The efficacious pharmacologic treatment includes the angiotensin-converting enzyme(ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin Ⅱ type 1 receptor blockers(ARBs) which have antioxidant activity and calcium channel blockers. The most effective prevention and treatment of alcohol-induced hypertension is physical exercise and the use of ACE inhibitors or ARBs in the clinic
Bibliography:Kazim Husain;Rais A Ansari;Leon Ferder;Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ponce, PR 00732, United States;Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33314, United States
Telephone: +1-787-8402575 Fax: +1-787-8413736
Author contributions: Husain K designed, performed the research and wrote the review article; Ansari RA contributed the new tools for writing the review article; Ferder L contributed the guidance and suggestions for writing the review article.
Correspondence to: Kazim Husain, PhD, DABT, Professor, Department of Physiology, Pharmacology and Toxicology, Ponce School of Medicine and Health Sciences, PO Box 7004, Ponce, PR 00732, United States. khusain@psm.edu
ISSN:1949-8462
1949-8462
DOI:10.4330/wjc.v6.i5.245