Why the study?
Does very heavy social drinking impair heart rate slowing during exhalation compared to controls?
Does very heavy social drinking impair heart rate slowing during exhalation compared to controls?
Very heavy social drinking may be associated with defective autonomic control of the heart, as evidenced by impaired heart rate slowing during exhalation.
May indicate autonomic impairment in heavy drinkers; leaves open reversibility and cardiovascular risk implications.
Very heavy social drinkers demonstrated less slowing of their heart rate than controls while exhaling after a maximal inhalation. While this suggests defective autonomic control of the heart, clarification of the mechanism and significance of this reflex and its impairment must await sophisticated study.
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Johnston et al. (1983) studied this question.
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