title: Ethanol consumption and blood pressure.
abstract: Chronic ethanol consumption consistently resulted in mild hypertension in the male Wistar rats used in the present study. The ethanol-treated animals also have reduced 24-hour urinary output and significant sodium retention when compared to the controls. Total plasma volume was estimated using the technique of indicator dilution, and an increase of 20% was observed in the ethanol-treated animals. Vascular smooth muscle responsiveness to noradrenaline in vitro was not different between the two groups of animals. Therefore the blood pressure elevation in the ethanol-treated animals seems to be associated with sodium retention and plasma volume expansion, and probably is unrelated to altered vascular responsiveness.
mesh_terms: D000437:Alcoholism / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D000818:Animals; D004231:Diuresis; D004435:Eating; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D008274:Magnesium / Q000652:urine; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000187:drug effects; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000502:physiology; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D010953:Plasma Volume; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium; D008274:Magnesium; D009638:Norepinephrine