title: Acute effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde on blood pressure and heart rate in disulfiram-treated and control rats.
abstract: The cardiovascular effects of ethanol and acetaldehyde were studied in control rats and rats pretreated with disulfiram. Ethanol administration to control rats decreased mean blood pressure and increased heart rate significantly. Injection of ethanol to disulfiram-treated rats decreased mean blood pressure, increases pulse pressure and increased heart rate and respiratory rate. The blood acetaldehyde levels were 10-15 times higher than those found in controls. The effects evoked by ethanol in disulfiram-treated rats were prevented or abolished in rats given 4-methylpyrazole before or after ethanol. Heart rate increased with increasing concentrations of acetaldehyde in control rats given acetaldehyde intravenously. Only a slight decrease in mean blood pressure was seen at high acetaldehyde levels (150-250 microM), whereas pulse pressure increased markedly as well as respiratory rate. At acetaldehyde levels lower than 50 microM, no effects on blood pressure were seen. The effects of acetaldehyde infusion in disulfiram-treated rats were similar to those observed in controls having comparable acetaldehyde levels. The results suggest that the disulfiram-ethanol reaction in rats is caused by the combined action of ethanol and acetaldehyde on the cardiovascular system.
mesh_terms: D000079:Acetaldehyde / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004221:Disulfiram / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects*; D011292:Premedication; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D000079:Acetaldehyde; D004221:Disulfiram