thequest

I always thought alcohol was good for high blood pressure but the alcoholic's blood pressure not normal yet even after months of medication. They still drink alot and take a lot of sports supplements along with periodic steroid and other drug use . I figured the combination of medication and alcohol would've dropped it below normal but it's not.

Is there a known side effect of alcoholism that causes blood pressure to rise?

Ariesagain

Alcohol absolutely can raise blood pressure and can also damage the heart muscle and cause rhythm problems. Steroid use can also cause problems as can certain supplements that contain stimulants.

Your relative or whoever this is needs to get honest with their doctor ASAP about everything they're drinking/using. Strokes are nothing to fool around with.

JD

Alcohol in small doses,a glass of wine max a day, has shown to reduce blood pressure in some studies. But alcohol in larger quantities raises blood pressure.

Nata1980

Describes my XAH to a T - alcohol, sports supplements, steroids and opiates. Addicts' middle age crisis, ya know....

Alcohol absolutely raises blood pressure, and many sports supplements are not ok to take with high BP (any kind of energy powder will fall under that)

Depending on what "other drugs" he is using - those can contribute. I know that before completion of his downward spiral, XAH was very concerned about his BP

"Your" A probably should not be taking BP meds with all the other cr@p he appears to be investing

Ariesagain

Alcohol: Does it affect blood pressure? - Mayo Clinic

healthyagain

If the person is alcoholic as you say, alcohol cannot have any "benefits." Chronic drinking combined with a bad diet means disaster for blood vessels, and heart can be seriously affected.

thequest

That's what I'm thinking. I don't think he's been honest with his doctors. I knew supplements, steroids could affect high blood bp but when I did some research I was surprised to find out out alcohol abuse itself could affect high bp. I'm assuming the back and forth effects of the alcohol and supplements probably damages the vessels by constant expansion and contraction. I also saw kidney trouble might cause high bp but don't see kidney damage as major side effect like liver damage.

CentralOhioDad

My AW didn't have high BP until this past year. She told the doc that "it can't be alcohol, because I only have a glass of wine at night". I guess she forgot to mention the glass, followed by another glass, followed by yet ANOTHER glass. Oh yeah - but then that would ruin her streak of denial!

She claimed it was stress at her job....

thequest

He fits that profile with binge drinking at least once a week along with the daily consumption of some kind.

Ariesagain

I didn't know before reading that Mayo clinic link that alcohol consumption reduces the effectiveness of BP medications...so it's a triple whammy, really...