Search resultsEffects of alcohol in human physiology
Title
Effects of alcohol in human physiology
Publication type
Journal Article
Year of Publication
2002
Authors
Journal
Adicciones
Volume
14
Issue
SUPPL. 1
Pagination
43 - 61
Date published
2002
ISBN
02144840 (ISSN)
Keywords
alcohol, alcohol consumption, alcoholic cardiomyopathy, Alzheimer disease, antiinfective agent, blood pressure, brain circulation, brain metabolism, cardiovascular system, catecholamine, catecholamine release, chronotropism, diarrhea, Digestive apparatus, esophagus function disorder, evoked auditory response, evoked visual response, Gastritis, gastroesophageal reflux, heart arrhythmia, heart contraction, human, Human physiology, inotropism, Nervous System, review, stomach emptying
Abstract
Ethyl alcohol is toxic for the organism but taken sporadically and at low doses its effects are quickly reversible. High doses in the digestive tube lead to oesophageal motility disorders, the appearance of gastro-oesophogeal reflux with all its possible consequences, gastritis, gastric emptying abnormalities and diarrhoea. At a cardiovascular level, acute consumption leads to a sharp reduction in the contracting function of the heart and the appearance of cardiac arrhythmias; the former being the result of a negative inotropic effect of the ethanol on the cardiac muscle although this effect is generally masked by an indirect positive chronotropic and inotropic secondary effect from the release of catecholamines. More important is the relationship between alcohol consumption and cardiac arrhythmias, popularly known as "holiday heart" which must be considered as a preclinical form of alcoholic miocardiopathy. In addition to inebriation, it has other notable effects on the central nervous system on, for example, cerebral electrophysiology (visual and auditory evoked potentials) cerebral metabolism and cerebral circulation. There are possible beneficial effects from the consumption of moderate quantities as a gastric and intestinal antiseptic, on the cardiovascular system (reduction of overall mortality and of coronary mortality) and on Alzheimer's disease.