Effects of chronic alcohol consumption and alcohol withdrawal on blood pressure in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats.
The development of blood pressure was monitored by the tail-cuff method in normotensive (WKY) and stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP) receiving ethanol (alcohol) in drinking water from weaning (approximately 1 month of age). Alcohol administration over a 3-month period attenuated the development of hypertension in SHRSP and also caused a small reduction of the initial blood pressure rise in WKY. This was accompanied by a reduction of fluid intake and an increase of circulating antidiuretic hormone (arginine vasopressin; AVP). Circulatory volume remained constant. Direct measurement of arterial blood pressure in conscious rats before and after autonomic blockade confirmed the antihypertensive effect of alcohol in SHRSP and indicated that it is at least partly dependent on altered activity of neural mechanisms. Sudden withdrawal of alcohol caused an immediate increase of fluid intake followed by a rise of blood pressure lasting several days in both WKY and SHRSP. This withdrawal hypertension could not be attributed to changes in plasma catecholamines or AVP.
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Division of Human Nutrition, Adelaide, South Australia.
P R
PR
Howe
P F
PF
Rogers
R M
RM
Smith
D000818:Animals; D001127:Arginine Vasopressin / Q000097:blood*; D001340:Autonomic Nerve Block; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004327:Drinking Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D000431:Ethanol / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000187:drug effects; D006973:Hypertension / Q000139:chemically induced*; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D051381:Rats; D011918:Rats, Inbred SHR / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology*; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains / Q000502:physiology*; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY / Q000097:blood / Q000502:physiology; D013375:Substance Withdrawal Syndrome; D013997:Time Factors
D001127:Arginine Vasopressin; D000431:Ethanol; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine