title: The acute effects of alcohol on cerebral hemodynamic changes induced by the head-up tilt test in healthy subjects.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Alcohol is a known triggering factor for orthostatic dysfunction, increasing the risk of neurally-mediated syncope. Since orthostatic tolerance may be affected by both systemic and cerebral hemodynamic changes, our aim was to investigate the acute effects of alcohol on cerebral vasoreactivity measured during the head-up tilt (HUT) test in 20 healthy subjects.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mean arterial blood pressure (mBP), heart rate, and flow parameters in both middle cerebral arteries (MCAs) were continuously recorded in the supine and during a 10-minute HUT positions before and after alcohol intake.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The HUT test resulted in a more prominent decline of adjusted mBP at the level of MCAs (mBPMCA) and a significantly larger decrease of MCA mean flow velocities (MFVMCA) in the post-alcohol period than before alcohol intake. During the HUT phase, the relative decrease in MFVMCA was significantly smaller than the reduction in mBPMCA before drinking alcohol, while these changes were similar after alcohol ingestion. The cerebrovascular resistance index (CVRi) decreased during the HUT phase in the control period, however, it increased after alcohol intake.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The similar decrease in mBPMCA and MFVMCA during orthostatic stress after alcohol ingestion together with the increased CVRi indicated the impairment of the compensatory vasodilation of cerebral resistance vessels, i.e. impaired cerebral autoregulation. These findings suggest that alcohol may contribute to impaired orthostatic tolerance not only by a hypotensive response but also by the alteration of cerebral blood flow regulation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen, Moricz Zs. krt. 22, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Sandor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viski
authors.affiliation: Bethesda Children's Hospital of Reformed Church in Hungary, Bethesda u. 3., H-1146 Budapest, Hungary.
authors.forename: Miklos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Orosz
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen, Moricz Zs. krt. 22, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Katalin Reka
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Czuriga-Kovacs
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen, Moricz Zs. krt. 22, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Maria Tunde
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Magyar
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen, Moricz Zs. krt. 22, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary.
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Csiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Debrecen, Moricz Zs. krt. 22, H-4032 Debrecen, Hungary. Electronic address: olah@med.unideb.hu.
authors.forename: Laszlo
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Olah
mesh_terms: D000428:Alcohol Drinking / Q000503:physiopathology; D062186:Arterial Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D000070276:Heart Rate Determination; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D018667:Tilt-Table Test; D017585:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Transcranial; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol
keywords: Alcohol; Baroreceptor reflex; Cerebral autoregulation; Cerebral blood flow; Head-up tilt test; Orthostatic stress; Transcranial doppler