title: Biphasic effects of alcohol on heart rate are influenced by alcoholic family history and rate of alcohol ingestion.
abstract: The present study investigated cardiac response to acute alcohol challenge along the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) curve in two groups of young adult nonalcoholic men with (MFH) and without (FH-) multigenerational family histories of alcoholism, matched for drinking history. BACs and resting heart rate measurements were recorded every 10 min for 3 hr after ingestion of a 1.0 ml/kg dose of 95% USP alcohol at two different rates: one of 20 min (slow drinking) and the other of 5 min (fast drinking). Several analyses of variance were performed for each of the dependent measures [BAC and heart rate change from baseline (HRCH)]. A significant risk x BAC phase interaction emerged from the HRCH analysis, indicating that the MFH group was characterized by a significantly greater increase in resting heart rate along the ascending limb of the BAC curve. A significant risk x BAC phase x rate interaction indicated that, when alcohol was consumed at a faster rate, men with multigenerational family histories of alcoholism demonstrated a greater HRCH, which persisted throughout the BAC curve.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Conrod
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Peterson
authors.forename: R O
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Pihl
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mankowski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000435:Alcoholic Intoxication / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D000431:Ethanol / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol