Doctors on Thursday warned that the combination of sodium, alcohol and fluctuations of sympathetic nerves from social interaction could cause a cerebral hemorrhage and urged people to drink rationally during Lunar New Year gatherings.
Taipei City Hospital’s Zhongxing branch Department of Medicine and Integrated Care doctor Chiang Kuan-yu (姜冠宇) issued a statement clarifying why people often feel dizzy or tight in the chest during end-of-year gatherings for companies.
The issue is both physical and emotional, and is complicated by environmental and weather factors, as well as internal factors such as blood sugar levels, Chiang said.
Photo: Hung Mei-hsiu, Taipei Times
The main culprit is sodium in food, which can cause high blood vessel tension and increase body water retention and blood circulation, Chiang said.
However, a reaction in blood pressure to high-sodium soups or sauces can be instantaneous, and typically reaches an apex in a matter of hours, Chiang said.
People who are already sensitive to sodium, such as older people, people with poor kidney function, metabolic syndromes, sleep apnea or high blood pressure, would see a more adverse reaction, Chiang said.
People think that consuming alcohol can reduce blood pressure, but in fact, the body has a two-stage reaction, he said.
In the first stage, blood pressure drops when the drinker experiences blood vessel expansion and becomes “red in the face,” Chiang said, adding that the second stage sees an increase in the fluctuation of sympathetic nerves and increased secretion of cortisol and renin.
Blood pressure is more likely to increase under these conditions, in addition to consuming high-sodium meals and sleeping less, Chiang said.
High emotions during social gatherings, consuming spicy or hot food or eating too fast are prone to stimulate the sympathetic nerves, which in turn increases heartrate and contract blood vessels, resulting in increased blood pressure, Chiang said.
Many people who experience accidents do not know they have hypertension or have a hemangioma, and the first time they are made aware of such conditions is during company events or social gatherings, Chiang said.
Chiang urged people to be rational when consuming food or alcohol during social gatherings or end-of-year events, adding that if people who experience vertigo, nausea, cotton mouth, repeated coughing, dizziness, difficulty breathing, chest tightness, cold sweats, or pain in their back, left shoulder, jaw, or gums should visit a doctor immediately.
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