Key result
Chronic 20% ethanol consumption for up to 32 weeks prevented age-dependent blood pressure increases in SHR and WKY rats, associated with lower circulating atrial natriuretic peptide levels.
Why the study?
Does chronic ethanol consumption reduce blood pressure and alter the atrial natriuretic system in spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats?
Does chronic ethanol consumption reduce blood pressure and alter the atrial natriuretic system in spontaneously hypertensive and normotensive rats?
Chronic ethanol consumption prevents age-dependent blood pressure elevation in hypertensive and normotensive rats, accompanied by alterations in the atrial natriuretic peptide, aldosterone, and vasopressin systems.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
No immediate clinical implications for hypertension; leaves open ethanol's effects on ANP and BP in animal models.
There is a lot of discussion on the effects of ethanol (ETOH) on blood pressure (BP). It has been suggested that chronic moderate ETOH consumption prevents the development of age-dependent hypertension in humans and spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). However, the mechanism mediating this effect is unknown. In the present studies, we hypothesized the implication of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), a BP-lowering hormone, on the antihypertensive effect of moderate ETOH consumption. A 20% v/v solution of alcohol was given as drinking fluid to SHR and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats for up to 32 weeks. This treatment prevented, at least in part, the age-dependent increase of BP in SHR and WKY rats. The lower BP was associated with significantly lower levels of circulating atrial natriuretic peptide in both groups. After chronic ETOH administration, total ANP content and concentration were higher in the left and right atria of SHR and WKY rats than in water-treated controls. Despite the ETOH-induced increase in atrial ANP content, there was no significant change in atrial ANP mRNA, suggesting decreased atrial release. Chronic ETOH treatment significantly reduced ANP mRNA in the ventricles of SHR but not of WKY rats. Correspondingly, ventricular ANP content and concentration were lowered by ETOH in SHR only. Chronic ETOH administration induced a significant increase of plasma arginine vasopressin and a significant decrease of plasma aldosterone in SHR but not in WKY rats. Thus, chronic ETOH treatment prevented the age-dependent elevation of BP in both SHR and WKY rats and altered the activity of heart ANP as well as of the aldosterone and plasma arginine vasopressin systems.
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Guillaume et al. (1996) studied Hypertension. Ethanol vs. Water-treated controls was evaluated on Blood pressure and atrial natriuretic peptide levels. Chronic 20% ethanol consumption for up to 32 weeks prevented age-dependent blood pressure increases in SHR and WKY rats, associated with lower circulating atrial natriuretic peptide levels.
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