Effects of daily alcohol intake on the blood pressure differ depending on an individual's sensitivity to alcohol: oriental flushing as a sign to stop drinking for health reasons.

OBJECTIVE

To determine whether flushing of the facial skin in response to alcohol consumption (alcohol flushing) is a warning sign of hypertension. We also sought the relationship between alcohol flushing and other risk factors that may contribute to the development of hypertension.

METHODS

We first investigated the relationship of the aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) genotype to alcohol flushing for 53 normal volunteers. We evaluated the relationships among hypertension, alcohol consumption, and facial flushing for 1011 middle-aged Japanese men (aged 40-68 years; mean 51.6 +/- 5.5 years), on the basis of their responses to questionnaires and health records.

RESULTS

The first examination of 53 normal volunteers showed that there were differences in the degree of alcohol flushing between the ALDH2 genotypes (P < 0.01). Hypertension was observed in 27.4% of the study population (277 of 1011), and was correlated positively to alcohol consumption (P < 0.01). The prevalence of hypertension differed significantly among these four groups: there was a 22.4% prevalence (70 of 312) among subjects with no flushing, a 33.8% prevalence (113 of 334) among those with slight flushing, a 27% prevalence (84 of 311) among those with visible flushing, and an 18.5% prevalence (10 of 54) among subjects who were almost completely intolerant to alcohol (P < 0.05). In particular, heavy drinkers who consumed > or = 1.5 Go (a traditional Japanese unit equivalent to 27 g ethanol) a day had a high prevalence of hypertension with slight and visible skin flushing [42% (63 of 150) and 40.7% (24 of 59), respectively]. That a family history of hypertension, greater age, heavy alcohol consumption, obesity, and symptoms of intoxication including flushing were correlated significantly to the prevalence of hypertension for all groups was demonstrated by multiple logistic regression analysis (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A repeated heavy alcohol intake could increase the risk of hypertension for Japanese subjects who exhibit skin flushing in response to alcohol consumption. Chronic alcohol intake by subjects with alcohol flushing might bring about a significant increase in blood acetaldehyde levels and cause an additional rise in the blood pressure.