lcohol intake and blood pressure in men and women
and in men at younger and older ages; to examine
the influence of amount and pattern of alcohol
consumption, as well as of acute effects, taking into
account body mass index, smoking, and urinary
sodium and potassium excretion.
Design-Subjects reported alcohol consumption
for each of seven days before standardised blood
pressure measurement, and whether they had
consumed any alcohol in the 24 hours before
measurement.
Setting-50 centres worldwide.
Subjects-4844 men and 4837 women aged 20-59.
Main outcome measures-Effect of alcohol on
blood pressure estimated by taking a weighted
average of regression coefficients from centres.
Acute effect assessed by examining mean differences
in blood pressure of non-drinkers and of heavy
drinkers who had and had not consumed alcohol in
the 24 hours before measurement. Effect of pattern
of consumption assessed by examing mean
differences in blood pressure of non-drinkers
compared with drinkers (s) whose intake was
concentrated in fewer days or who were drinking
more frequently, and (it) whose alcohol intake
varied little over the seven days or varied more
substantially, as indicated by the standard deviation
ofdaily consumption.