Excessive alcohol intake increases the risk of arterial stiffening in men with normal blood pressure.

Excessive alcohol intake is a known atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk factor. However, the relation between excessive alcohol intake and atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk in subjects with normal blood pressure has not been fully elucidated. This cross-sectional study investigated the relationship between alcohol intake and arterial stiffness, as assessed using brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, in men with normal blood pressure. Middle-aged male workers who were found to have a normal blood pressure during an annual health check-up performed in May-July 2000 (n=1,682) were enrolled in the study. The subjects' laboratory data were analyzed, and information on drinking and smoking habits was obtained by a self-administered questionnaire. The brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity was measured using volume plethysmography. The mean brachial-ankle pulse wave velocities of men with an alcohol intake of 40-59 g/day and > or =60 g/day were larger than those of non-drinkers and men with an alcohol intake of <20 g/day. A multivariate general linear model was used to identify the association between alcohol intake and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity after controlling for other risk factors using a multivariate analysis. An alcohol intake of more than 60 g of ethanol/day was significantly associated with an elevated brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity, after controlling for conventional atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk factors. In conclusion, the present results suggest that excessive alcohol intake increases the atherosclerotic cardiovascular risk associated with arterial stiffening in men with normal blood pressure.