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Effects of Acute Alcohol Intake on Tolerance to Hypotension
Author(s) -
Bottoms G. D.,
Fessler J. F.,
Johnson M.,
Coatney R. W.,
Voorhees W.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
alcoholism: clinical and experimental research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.267
H-Index - 153
eISSN - 1530-0277
pISSN - 0145-6008
DOI - 10.1111/j.1530-0277.1990.tb01245.x
Subject(s) - medicine , anesthesia , blood pressure , heart rate , alcohol , respiratory system , alcohol intoxication , respiratory rate , cardiac output , hemodynamics , poison control , emergency medicine , injury prevention , biology , biochemistry
The specific aim of this research was to test the hypothesis that intoxication with alcohol results in poor tolerance to hemorrhage. This was evaluated on the basis of blood pressure, cardiac output respiratory rate, blood flow to organs, and survival for 4 hr after hemorrhage. Four groups of six swine per group were used (control, intoxicated, hemorrhage, and intoxicated‐hemorrhage). The results revealed that blood alcohol concentrations near 0.1% greatly reduced tolerance to hemorrhage. intoxicated animals subjected to hemorrhage were unable to maintain an adequate cardiac output, blood pressure, or respiratory rate to sustain life. Pigs tolerated higher blood alcohol concentrations, up to 0.35%, when not exposed to hemorrhage. Also, unintoxicated pigs were able to compensate for severe hemorrhage. Only one of the six pigs in the intoxicated‐hemorrhage group survived for 4 hr after hemorrhage. In conclusion the body's ability to compensate and recover from hemorrhage was greatly reduced during intoxication. It is logical to assume that the ability to overcome numerous other stressors may also be reduced during intoxication.