A moderate concentration of ethanol alters cellular membrane potentials and decreases contractile force of human fetal heart.
The effects of ethanol, although well studied in the adult myocardium, have been little studied in fetal tissue. Experiments in pregnant animals suggest that ethanol compromises fetal myocardial performance, in utero; however, the physiological mechanism(s) remains obscure. The present report examines, in vitro, the effects of a moderate concentration of ethanol (20 mM) directly on cell membrane potentials and contractility of human fetal left ventricle as determined using intracellular microelectrodes and microforce transducers. We observed significant decreases in action potential amplitude, upstroke velocity, duration of repolarization, and the force of contractions. These effects were reversible. As ethanol crosses the placenta, our findings suggest that moderate concentrations of ethanol, as occur during 'social drinking', may temporarily compromise fetal myocardial performance in utero.
College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa.
I S
IS
Richards
A
A
Kulkarni
S M
SM
Brooks
D A
DA
Lathrop
W F
WF
Bremner
N
N
Sperelakis
D000200:Action Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D004594:Electrophysiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D005333:Fetus / Q000187:drug effects*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008564:Membrane Potentials / Q000187:drug effects; D009200:Myocardial Contraction / Q000187:drug effects*; D011433:Propranolol / Q000494:pharmacology
D000431:Ethanol; D011433:Propranolol