Alcohol is a rather dangerous product that affects absolutely all internal organs and tissues. Alcohol in small doses does not have a global effect on the general condition of a person. Blood pressure after alcohol and changes in its indicators directly depend on the individual characteristics of the body.
When the pressure is high
Alcohol will have a detrimental effect on the human body if the following factors are present:
- advanced age of a person;
- wrong lifestyle;
- unbalanced diet;
- use of certain medications;
- constant stress;
- frequent drinking of alcohol.
No one can say with certainty what effect alcohol has on the body. Does it increase blood pressure or is it an indicator for its decrease? Everything directly depends on the amount you drink.
If a person has just drunk strong alcohol, then his blood vessels immediately begin to expand. They acquire tone, become elastic and flexible. This effect is achieved thanks to ethanol, which is part of almost all alcohol-containing drinks. Dilated vessels force the blood flow to fight against resistance, which is why the pressure decreases. The ventricles of the heart begin to simply let blood pass through themselves, and not push it out with force, as it should be in a normal state. Consequently, distant parts of the body are not saturated with oxygen in sufficient quantities.
Important! If a person has heart problems or suffers from hypotension (low blood pressure with readings below 120/90), then it is better not to experiment with alcohol in this case.
Regular alcohol consumption leads to a chronic increase in blood pressure. Ethanol accumulated in the body has a sedative effect on the central nervous system. If a fairly large amount of alcohol is drunk, then a person begins to experience tachycardia (rapid heartbeat). This is what leads to increased blood pressure from a hangover.
Mature people fall into the risk category, because they are the ones who most often become victims of hypertension - their blood pressure will always be high. With age, each person’s body weakens and therefore is more easily susceptible to the influence of external factors, in our case, the influence of alcohol.
Mechanism of action
The debate on whether blood vessels narrow or dilate under the influence of alcohol is explained by the dual effect of ethanol. It quickly penetrates the blood, the vessels dilate, their walls relax, and blood pressure drops. But after a couple of hours, a sharp narrowing and spasm of blood vessels occurs. The greater the dose of alcohol in terms of pure alcohol, the faster the expansion gives way to contraction. The pressure rises, the heart is forced to contract more often in order to supply all body systems with a sufficient amount of blood.
Improvement in well-being from a small dose of vodka or cognac is due to the fact that ethanol dilates the blood vessels of the brain. But in large doses alcohol:
- narrows the lumen of blood vessels in the brain due to tension in their walls;
- provokes blockage with destroyed, sticky red blood cells;
- disrupts the mechanism for regulating vascular tone.
Frequent functioning of the cardiovascular system under stress provokes a violation of vascular tone, a decrease in the elasticity of the walls, and increases the risk of developing atherosclerosis.
High blood pressure during a hangover and its symptoms
If, while drinking, a person’s condition begins to deteriorate, blood pressure rises and the following symptoms appear, then drinking alcohol should be stopped urgently:
- headache throbbing;
- nausea and vomiting;
- excessive weakness;
- dizziness;
- loss of orientation.
These signs indicate that the body is oversaturated with alcohol and has exceeded the permissible limits. Excessively exceeding the dose threatens a sharp drop in blood pressure, deterioration of general condition, loss of consciousness and even death. A person must learn the body’s own reaction to alcohol and take this point into account during holiday feasts.
Clinical studies have proven that systematic alcohol abuse can cause the development of hypertension. This serious pathology occurs much more often in people with alcohol dependence than in non-drinkers. In addition, this condition is rapidly becoming a chronic disease of the body.
Death due to diseases of the central nervous system
In case of severe hangover, you need to call an ambulance or narcologists who can carry out the necessary medical procedures. In clinical narcology, there are two main causes of mortality associated with hangover syndrome:
- Manifestation of pathological conditions due to a history of diseases;
- Alcohol overdose, when a person simply consumes a lethal dose of ethyl alcohol.
Is it possible to die from a hangover if you drink too much alcohol? Yes, and a lethal dose of alcohol can lead to death if a person has consumed 750 milliliters of strong alcohol within five hours. Many people believe that a large snack will fix the situation. But usually intoxication occurs more slowly, and this affects the amount of drinking. Although there are clinical cases when the lethal dose is more than one liter of alcohol, since each person’s body is individual.
A dangerous condition can cause cardiac arrest, pancreatic necrosis, and acute liver failure. Doctors have very little time to rehabilitate a person and avoid serious consequences for the body. Death from a hangover during exacerbation of diseases usually occurs with the following pathologies:
- Pathologies of the heart and blood vessels, such as stroke, ischemic heart disease, heart attack, heart failure;
- Diseases of the peripheral and central nervous system, which can provoke epileptic seizures, strokes, cerebral hemorrhage, polyneuropathy when drinking alcohol;
- Pathologies of the intestines and gastrointestinal tract, which can cause life-threatening bleeding. For example, this condition is typical for ulcerative formations;
- Liver and kidney diseases. In particular, acute renal failure can be life threatening.
Alcohol abuse disrupts the water and salt balance of the body, and ethyl alcohol also negatively affects metabolic and endocrine processes. A hangover can worsen the course of diabetes, which can lead to the development of diabetic coma due to hypoglycemia. Why do people die from hangovers?
With a hangover, a person can die if he has certain diseases of the nervous system. Alcohol has an extremely negative effect on the central nervous system, causing gradual death of nerve cells.
A hangover is dangerous if a person has malignant or benign brain tumors, or an aneurysm.
The result of excessive libation can be a cerebral hemorrhage. Hemorrhagic strokes, unlike ischemic strokes, have a low median survival rate and a poor rehabilitation prognosis. Therefore, such a pathology can be the cause of death in hangover syndrome.
Hangover mortality statistics indicate that there are three main causes of death resulting from the consumption of alcoholic beverages. We are talking about exacerbation of diseases, overdose and poisoning, as well as the manifestation of pathologies caused by the presence of ethanol in the blood. Each reason should be considered separately.
We suggest you read: Does nimesil help with a hangover?
Alcohol overdose seems like a myth to many. This is especially true for people who overestimate their strength and measure the alcohol they drink in liters or bottles. In fact, a lethal dose is 750 ml of vodka or other strong drink drunk within 4-5 hours. This figure is average, but this dose can be fatal. The main causes of death from an overdose of alcohol-containing drinks are:
- Pancreatic necrosis, exacerbation of pancreatitis.
- Brain swelling.
- Alcohol coma.
A fatal situation due to an alcohol overdose can easily be made worse by eating a large snack. Food, especially fatty foods, slows down the process of intoxication. This leads to the person drinking a lethal dose of alcohol. Most often, death as a result of alcohol overdose occurs during prolonged drinking bouts.
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to exacerbation and development of diseases, of which there are a great many. Let's look at the most common deviations from the norm that a hangover can lead to.
Alcohol is a time bomb!
Alcoholic drinks are like a ticking time bomb. They slowly but surely destroy the human body from the inside and can affect blood pressure not only directly.
As an example, consider the fact that alcohol promotes the formation of fat deposits, and it does this much more effectively than baked goods and chocolates. Now imagine how excess weight in combination with alcohol can affect the body! High blood pressure from a hangover is guaranteed here in any case. And if hypertension was present before, then irreparable damage will be caused to the body.
It is important! Alcohol is a food product with high energy value. The higher the strength of the drink, the more calories it contains. It follows that the more actively a person drinks alcohol, the faster body weight increases.
If your blood pressure regularly increases, alcohol should be completely eliminated from your diet. Failure to comply with this rule can lead to the following pathological conditions:
- delirium tremens;
- thrombophlebitis or blockage of blood vessels;
- cardiac ischemia;
- stroke;
- heart attack;
- epilepsy.
The effect of alcoholic drinks on blood vessels
Different alcoholic drinks have different effects on the vascular system. For example, cognac dilates blood vessels, resulting in lower blood pressure. This drink has been proven to reduce cholesterol levels and the likelihood of atherosclerosis. However, to achieve this effect, you need to drink no more than 50 g of cognac per day. Larger dosages lead to increased stress on the liver, kidneys, and nervous system.
Dry red wine also lowers blood pressure. Vintage wines are especially recommended. It should be noted that vermouth increases the pulse rate and raises blood pressure, while a glass of dry white wine lowers blood pressure. However, the hypotensive effect is weaker than that of red wines.
Why is high blood pressure dangerous during a hangover?
A hangover is a painful condition that occurs in a person the next day after uncontrolled consumption of alcoholic beverages. High blood pressure after heavy drinking appears precisely after heavy libations, as the body begins an active fight against the breakdown products of alcohol.
Against the background of a hangover, blood pressure often rises - an extremely life-threatening condition. Pressure surges are a fairly common occurrence for drinkers. At first, alcohol dilates blood vessels as much as possible, provoking the body to a defensive reaction and lowering blood pressure. But after its effect ends, the walls of the blood vessels begin to contract and narrow, causing a spasm and a sharp jump in blood pressure.
Why is high blood pressure dangerous during a hangover, and what unpleasant symptoms can it lead to? We note the following serious conditions of the body:
- dull pressing headache;
- faintness and dizziness;
- severe tremors of the arms and legs, resulting from general weakness of the body and dehydration;
- noise in ears;
- anxiety and depression;
- restless sleep and insomnia;
- high pulse - over 110 beats per minute.
Remember! High blood pressure from a hangover is an extremely dangerous condition for the human body! At these moments, there is a high probability of developing a stroke, heart attack or acute cardiac pathologies!
Possible consequences
With hypertension, drinking alcohol usually causes the body to react. In each individual case, the effect of alcohol on a person can only be accurately determined after the necessary tests have been carried out. However, more often it all depends on the stage of development of the disease and the amount of alcohol consumed. In any case, high blood pressure will always be present if you drink alcohol constantly, the same can be said about excessive drinking of alcoholic beverages. With alcohol dependence, blood pressure will always be elevated. Hypertension is also often caused by alcohol.
If you are diagnosed with hypertension and are dependent on alcohol, you cannot suddenly stop drinking; it will be safer to do this gradually. Otherwise, the disease will begin to develop extremely rapidly, which will lead to large pressure drops, which may result in rupture of blood vessels. Hypertension in alcoholism is not a rare phenomenon; in this case, an increase in blood pressure from alcohol occurs with each use and the person simply gets used to it.
Fighting high blood pressure
At the first stage of alcohol intake, it is absorbed through the intestines, thins the blood and affects the brain. From this moment, the person begins to be in a state of euphoria: his mood rises, a desire arises for communication and constant movement. If drinking alcohol is not stopped, then soon good emotions and activity will most likely transform into fatigue, drowsiness or aggression.
High blood pressure during a hangover - what needs to be done and how to competently deal with this condition? This question is constantly asked by lovers of strong drinks.
The following will help reduce blood pressure after heavy drinking and bring your body into normal physical shape during a hangover:
- staying in the fresh air;
- vasodilators and blood pressure-reducing drugs - guarantee the relief of vascular spasm and alleviate the general condition of the body during intoxication;
- certain foods (for example, broths or sour drinks);
- rest and good sleep.
As you know, the body recovers best when a person sleeps, therefore, in order to quickly return to normal and reduce blood pressure from a hangover, you need to have a good rest, be at rest and take blood pressure pills. Physical activity and work in this case will not alleviate the patient’s plight, not to mention the efficiency of work and a damaged reputation. If a person is already hypertensive, then high blood pressure after binge drinking can even be fatal. Every adult should personally control their alcohol intake, know their permissible limit and be able to quickly lower their blood pressure.
Compatibility of alcohol and medications for hypertension
As always, it is not without reason that most doctors advise that it is not recommended to use medications and alcoholic beverages together. It is difficult to predict how each individual organism will behave in this situation, but we can say with great confidence that the reaction will be rather negative. The consequences in this case can be extremely varied: a person will get alcohol poisoning, collapse, or something else. A change in condition may well be unforeseen, and the consequences, unfortunately, are rarely pleasant.
Increase and decrease in blood pressure from beer
Important! Other, more serious disorders (problems with blood supply to the heart muscle, heart rhythm disturbances, cardiovascular failure) are treated exclusively in a hospital setting.
Considering that compatibility here is more than controversial, to reduce the risk of negative consequences, it is recommended not to take medications for at least 12 hours before drinking alcohol. The next dose of the drug should be taken after the same period of time. Compatibility and possible consequences are most often indicated in the instructions for the medications.
Activation of kidney function
Alcohol and all its breakdown products are excreted from the body along with urine through the kidneys. With alcohol intoxication, harmful substances slow down the functioning of the renal system, and the load on it increases several times. Experiencing such stress, the kidneys begin to remove beneficial elements from the body along with harmful substances.
Experts advise following a strict drinking regime after heavy libations. The liquid helps to quickly cleanse the body of toxic elements. It is advisable in the morning, after a feast, to drink a glass of clean drinking water every hour. Thus, you will not only restore the normal water balance of the body, but also remove toxins from the kidneys.
You can activate renal activity after drinking alcohol using a special therapeutic diet. The type of diet and its duration is determined by the doctor. The most dangerous thing that can happen to the kidneys during a hangover is acute urinary retention and renal colic. This condition requires immediate medical intervention.
Restoring the functioning of the genitourinary system after a long binge requires a long and complex course of therapy, including several approaches. The treatment program is again selected by the attending nephrologist or urologist after a complete examination of the body.
What to do if you have low blood pressure
Each person's body reacts completely differently to the effects of alcohol. Some people never experience a hangover the next morning, others only suffer from a slight headache, and for others, yesterday's feast turns into a real disaster the next morning. Some drinkers suffer not from high, but from low blood pressure during a hangover.
When intoxicated, the body begins to actively get rid of toxic toxins. To do this, it uses internal fluid reserves and begins to pump fluid out of all internal organs, tissues and from the blood. Because of this, blood pressure drops.
It is important to know! Low blood pressure during a hangover is no less dangerous than hypertension. If you do not quickly bring the person back to normal and do not normalize the indicators, then you should immediately call an ambulance! The consequences of hypotension can be very disastrous for the body, including death.
To quickly raise your blood pressure, you need to drink strong tea, freshly brewed coffee, pomegranate juice or green tea with lemon. All these drinks should be consumed with caution so as not to provoke the opposite effect.
Why does blood pressure increase after drinking alcohol?
The tonometer determines two pressure values: systolic and diastolic. Normally, indicators should be in the range of 100-130/70-90 mmHg. Clinical studies have shown that blood pressure increases after drinking alcohol. This is explained by the fact that irreversible changes occur in the body (the structure of blood vessels is disrupted, the load on the myocardium increases). Under the influence of alcohol, the arteries begin to rapidly expand, and blood actively flows to the brain. After this, the vessels narrow, which causes a rise in pressure. In the morning after drinking, a severe headache begins, which is caused by precisely such processes. This is observed not only among alcohol lovers, but also among those who rarely drink drinks with ethanol in large volumes.
Not everyone knows why blood pressure rises after drinking alcohol.
An increased level of ethyl alcohol in the blood activates the sympathetic parts of the nervous system, stimulates the production of renin, norepinephrine and other substances that have a hypertensive effect. In patients diagnosed with alcoholism, kidney function is impaired, which leads to fluid retention and the development of edema. This also contributes to a rise in blood pressure. Swelling is often observed during a hangover. Doctors say that moderate consumption of alcohol can strengthen the body and protect it from coronary and coronary disease. However, abuse of such a “medicine” can provoke hypertension, stroke, and heart attack.
Therefore, high blood pressure after alcohol is not uncommon.
How to reduce blood pressure during a hangover using folk remedies
- Take one glass of sparkling mineral water, squeeze the juice of half a lemon into it and add a teaspoon of honey. Drink this drink on an empty stomach, and then every one and a half to two hours until the condition improves.
- Mix freshly squeezed beet juice and honey in equal proportions. Take three tablespoons of the mixture every four hours during the day.
- Prepare herbal tea from dried mint, motherwort and hawthorn leaves. Let it brew well and drink half a glass every 30-40 minutes. The body will soon recover after such a healing decoction.
The best prevention of hangover syndrome is a complete abstinence from alcohol or its dosed consumption. Absolutely every person should know how to lower blood pressure! This knowledge and timely measures will help save lives and avoid dire consequences.
