Key result
A moderate alcohol dose increases standing heart rate by ~5 bpm in normotensive elderly subjects.
Why the study?
Does a single moderate dose of alcohol affect hemodynamic parameters in normotensive elderly subjects?
Does a single moderate dose of alcohol affect hemodynamic parameters in normotensive elderly subjects?
A single moderate dose of alcohol has only minor hemodynamic effects in normotensive elderly subjects, primarily a slight increase in standing heart rate and venous hematocrit.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Minor acute hemodynamic shifts from moderate alcohol warrant no practice change in normotensive elderly; leaves open chronic or hypertensive effects for confirmation.
The effects of 0.5 g ethanol/kg body weight and of an iso-volumic control drink were compared in eight normotensive subjects aged 70-96 years. Blood alcohol concentration reached a mean (+/- SEM) maximum of 44.4 +/- 5.0 mg/dl at 50 minutes after the start of drinking. Compared to control, alcohol increased mean sitting and standing heart rates by 3.4 +/- 1.3 (p = .08) and 5.4 +/- 1.9 (p less than .05) beats/minute, respectively; mean venous haematocrit rose by 3.9 +/- 1.3% (p less than .05). There were no significant changes in sitting or standing systolic or diastolic blood pressures after alcohol compared to the control drink. A single moderate dose of alcohol has only minor haemodynamic effects in normotensive elderly subjects. The rise in heart rate after alcohol may be a reflex response that helps to maintain blood pressure in the face of reduced circulating plasma volume due to alcohol-induced diuresis.
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Stott et al. (1991) studied normotensive (n=8). Alcohol vs. iso-volumic control drink was evaluated on standing heart rate (MD 5.4 beats/minute, p=<0.05). A single moderate dose of alcohol (0.5 g/kg) increased standing heart rate by 5.4 beats/minute (p<0.05) and venous haematocrit by 3.9% (p<0.05) in normotensive elderly subjects.
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