Re: 'Alcohol consumption in young adults and incident hypertension: 20-year follow-up from the Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults Study'.

摘要

We thank Leon et al. (1) for their insightful comments on our paper (2). Although short-term observational and inter-ventional studies demonstrate alcohol's acute pressor effect (4.6 mm Hg average elevation of systolic blood pressure) (3), there are no long-term studies demonstrating that this pressor effect leads to the development of the clinical disease of hypertension (average of 2 blood pressure readings >=140 mm Hg systolic or >=90 mm Hg diastolic on at least 2 subsequent visits) (4). Another behavior that acutely raises blood pressure, exercise, is known to prevent hypertension (5). Measurements of up to 50 mm Hg in women and 60 mm Hg in men are considered a normal blood pressure response to exercise (6). Because long-term randomized controlled trials of alcohol consumption may be inappropriate or impractical, we are left with observational cohort studies. Our study adds to the growing list of studies attempting to clear the muddy waters that find no association between alcohol consumption and hypertension (7-10).