Effect of ethanol of heart rate and blood pressure in nonstressed and stressed rats

Journal Article · Mon Jun 29 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Life Sci.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(87)90078-6· OSTI ID:6403837

Sparrow, M G; Roggendorf, H; Vogel, W H

The effect of ethanol on the cardiovascular system (ECG, heart rate, blood pressure) was studied in anesthetized, nonstressed or stressed rats. In anesthetized rats, ethanol showed no effect on heart rate or ECG. In nonstressed rats, ethanol sedated the animals but increased heart rate significantly. This ethanol induced tachycardia seemed the result of a direct stimulation of the sympathetic nerves to the heart. Blood pressure was not significantly affected by ethanol in these nonstressed rats. In stressed rats, marked behavioral excitation and significant increases in heart rate and blood pressure were noted. Ethanol pretreatment calmed the animals considerably during restraint. Ethanol did reduce slightly the stress-induced tachycardia but markedly reduced or antagonized stress-induced blood pressure increases. No major changes in the ECG were noted during these studies with the exception of a few individual animals which showed pathologic ECG responses to ethanol. These data show that ethanol affects cardiovascular functions differently in anesthetized, non stressed or stressed rats, and that ethanol can significantly reduce or antagonize stress-induced behavioral excitation, tachycardia and hypertension. 32 references, 4 tables.

• Research Organization: Thomas Jefferson Univ., Philadelphia, PA
• OSTI ID: 6403837
• Journal Information: Life Sci.; (United States), Vol. 40:26
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
BIOLOGICAL STRESS
ETHANOL
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BLOOD PRESSURE
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
RATS
ALCOHOLS
ANIMALS
DATA
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
MAMMALS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
RODENTS
VERTEBRATES
560300* - Chemicals Metabolism & Toxicology