The number of drinks it takes to raise a woman's blood pressure

Just two drinks per day can raise a woman's blood pressure enough to put her at risk of hypertension, a new study has found.

Researchers from the University of Western Australia examined the effect of alcohol on the blood pressure of 24 women, aged 24 to 49, who were mostly wine drinkers.

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After researchers examining the participants normal blood pressure they were divided into two groups: higher-level and lower-level drinkers. At the end of the three-month trial researchers found that healthy premenopausal women, drinking two to three glasses of red wine per day does increase blood pressure, and the effect is similar to that found previously among men.

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Alcohol has always been a risk factor in heart disease among men, however the results in women have been mixed. This is the first time there have been definitive results in women. Not only is hypertension one of the highest risk factors in heart disease, heart disease is the number one killer in Australian women, making this study an important reminder to keep your recommended alcohol intake below seven standard drinks per week.