A recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine shows that deaths from hypertension linked to excessive alcohol use have risen significantly in recent years, particularly among women.
Researchers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), led by Dr. Gregory Leung, examined national data on adults aged 20 and over.
They compared the average number of hypertension deaths during 2016–2017 and 2020–2021.
Using the CDC’s Alcohol-Related Disease Impact tool, they estimated how many of these deaths were connected to excessive drinking.
The findings are concerning. Overall, hypertension-related deaths rose by 41.5% between the two time periods. Deaths specifically caused by excessive alcohol increased even more—by 51.6%. Women saw a sharper increase than men: 55.7% for women compared to 45.1% for men.
In fact, more than 60% of alcohol-related hypertension deaths were among women. The percentage of female hypertension deaths tied to alcohol rose from 18.9% in 2016–2017 to 21.2% in 2020–2021. Among men, the percentage stayed close to 13%.
The authors emphasize the need for public health policies to reduce alcohol-related harm. Effective strategies include regulating how many alcohol outlets exist in an area and increasing alcohol taxes—both of which can help reduce excessive drinking.
This study highlights the growing impact of alcohol on high blood pressure deaths, especially among women, and underscores the need for stronger preventive policies.
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The study is published in American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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