Effect of chronic exposure to alcohol on the circulation of rats of different ages
Morvai, V.; Ungváry, G.
Acta Physiologica Academiae Scientiarum Hungaricae 53(4): 433-441
1979
ISSN/ISBN: 0001-6756 PMID: 575697 Document Number: 148594
Two groups each of young and old animals were fed nutritionally adequate liquid diets. One group of each served as control, while in the other 36% of the total caloric intake was supplied by ethanol in place of part of the fat and carbohydrate. The young animals became rapidly adapted to the alcohol-containing diet, while the aged animals refused to eat even at the expense of transient hunger and thirst. Alcohol treatment resulted in body weight loss and the appearance of slight ST segment abnormalities in the ECG. Histological study of the myocardium revealed no pathological finding. Alcohol reduced the blood pressure, total peripheral resistance, gut and skin fractions of the cardiac output, myocardial nutritive blood flow and vascular resistance of the carcass in both groups, whereas it increased the relative heart weight. There was a greater decrease of blood pressure and a greater increase in the relative heart weight in the old than in the young alcohol-treated animals. Chronic alcohol exposure results in a redistribution of circulation which is detrimental to cardiac function. This alcohol-induced redistribution affects the cardiovascular system of old animals more severely.