Binge boozing boosts BP - effects of binge drinking on blood pressure - Brief Article

Men's Fitness, April, 2002

If you need a reason not to overdo the cocktails--aside from the low percentage of dates who consider vomiting a turn-on--here it is: Researchers in France and Ireland (where they know about drinking) have determined that binge drinking can cause a leap in blood pressure, and may "partly explain the higher incidence" of heart attacks on Mondays.

Subjects who consumed two-thirds of their alcohol intake on Friday and Saturday had a significant boost in blood pressure on Monday, which then declined through the week. Those who maintained steady alcohol intake--or none at all--had no such fluctuations.

The report, published in the journal Hypertension, notes that the tendency to smoke and consume salty foods during an alcohol binge may also contribute to the problem.