Launch event in the Swedish Parliament. In this research review, compiled by an international research group, alcohol is examined as a cause of high blood pressure. High blood pressure itself is one of the biggest causes of serious illness, including heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes and dementia. Because of the many serious diseases that high blood pressure causes, it is one of the most serious and urgent problems for public health today. And alcohol is a major causal factor for high blood pressure.