title: Alcohol and sauna bathing: effects on cardiac rhythm, blood pressure, and serum electrolyte and cortisol concentrations.
abstract: The effect of heavy drinking and sauna bathing on cardiac rhythm, blood pressure, and serum electrolyte and cortisol concentrations was studied in 10 healthy male volunteers. Sauna bathing induced a comparable, significant increase in heart rate with and without alcohol consumption. During sauna bathing without alcohol, systolic blood pressure remained at the baseline level, whereas sauna and alcohol together decreased systolic blood pressure markedly from 136 +/- 4 to 113 +/- 3 mmHg (P less than 0.01). Neither sauna alone, nor sauna combined with alcohol intake, increased the frequency of premature ventricular complexes. Serum potassium, calcium and cortisol concentrations changed slightly during sauna, but alcohol consumption did not contribute further to this. In conclusion, sauna bathing, even in combination with heavy drinking, does not appear to provoke cardiac arrhythmias in healthy young men. However, the risk of hypotension is increased when sauna bathing is combined with alcohol consumption.
authors.affiliation: Research and Treatment Unit of Alcohol Diseases, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roine
authors.forename: O J
authors.initials: OJ
authors.lastname: Luurila
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Suokas
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heikkonen
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koskinen
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ylikahri
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Toivonen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Härkönen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Salaspuro
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D002118:Calcium / Q000097:blood*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006358:Hot Temperature / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D029002:Steam Bath / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D011188:Potassium; D002118:Calcium; D006854:Hydrocortisone