Intervention Study for the Effectiveness of Alcohol Restriction to Blood Pressure

Song, Yeon Ee; Lee, Kang Sook

Abstract

PURPOSE: To assess whether blood pressure is reduced by the intervention of intensive weekly counseling to lower alcohol intake for 12 weeks in heavy drinkers with elevated blood pressure, we conducted the quasi-experimental study through workplace health promotion program.
METHODS
Thirty workers with an average intake of alcohol over 180 g/week(2 bottles of Soju, Korean popular liquor) and with over 90 mm Hg in diastolic blood pressure(DBP) or over 140 mm Hg systolic blood pressure(SBP) assigned to intervention group(15 men, IG) and control group(15 men, CG) voluntarily. Mean age was 47.2 6.5 and 43.0 5.4 years old respectivel. The goal of intervention was below 45g/week(1/2 bottle of Soju).
RESULTS
Average weekly alcohol intake after 12 weeks in IG was significantly reduced(before 300.6 114.8g/week, after 24.8 24.5g/week) compared with CG(before 334.4 150.7g/week, after 311.3 150.8g/week). In IG, SBP(before 141.5 9.4mm Hg, after 128.7 13.0mm Hg) and DBP(before 95.5 6.3mm Gg, after 88.0 10.8mm Hg) was significantly decreased after 12 weeks of alcohol restriction program, but in CG there was no change.
CONCLUSION
Restriction program of alcohol intake in workplace was so effective to reduce blood pressure among hypertensives, although this study has a limitation of small subjects, short duration of follow up and no randomized controlled design.