We observed the relationship between alcohol and hypertension by flushing response in the large-scale prospective study.
•
Alcohol consumption pattern was associated with hypertension by alcohol flushing response in the 12-years follow-up cohort.
•
When compared to non-flusher, long-term heavy alcohol consumption in flusher increased the incidence of hypertension
Abstract
Background
Alcohol consumption is associated with hypertension, and this association depends on the alcohol consumption pattern and alcohol flushing response. In this 12-year follow-up study, we investigated the relationship between the alcohol consumption pattern and incidence of hypertension in the Korean population.
Methods
We analyzed 1,366 Korean participants in the Ansung–Ansan cohort study without hypertension at baseline. The subjects were classified into four alcohol consumption patterns: never-drinking, light alcohol consumption, moderate alcohol consumption, and heavy alcohol consumption, and as flushers or non-flushers in response to alcohol.
Results
In flushers, moderate and heavy alcohol consumption patterns increased the risk of incident hypertension compared with never-drinkers [moderate: HR 1.811 (95% CI 1.084–3.028); heavy: HR 2.494 (95% CI 1.185–5.247)], but non-flushers were not associated with increased risk of incident hypertension according to the alcohol consumption pattern. In addition, a heavy alcohol consumption pattern increased the risk of hypertension among flushers compared with non-flushers [HR 2.232 (95% CI 1.054–4.728)].
Conclusion
In this 12-year follow-up study, we observed that moderate and heavy alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of hypertension in flushers. Especially, a heavy alcohol consumption pattern in flushers markedly increased the risk of hypertension.
