Alcohol cardiovascular system

There is a good bit of scientific evidence to snpport the idea that moderate, one or two drinks a day, intake of alcoholic beverages is healthful. Moderate drinking seems to strengthen the cardiovascular system and to prolong life. Maybe it is worth saying here what a drink is. An alcohol drink is one 12 oz beer, 4 ounces of wine, or one onnce of 100-proof (50% ethanol) hard liqnor or about 1 1/2 ounces of 80-proof liqnor. Each of these contains 0.5-0.6 onnces of ethanol. A drink is not a tumbler full of gin or half a bottle of wine. 

The drug disulfiram interferes with the oxidation of acetaldehyde formed during the metabolism of alcohol. This increases the blood level of acetaldehyde which acts directly on cardiovascular system and produce these toxic reactions. Disulfiram also inhibits dopamine beta oxidase and thus interferes with the synthesis of noradrenaline, which causes depletion of catecholamines. 

The most important goals in the treatment of acute alcohol intoxication are to prevent severe respiratory depression and to prevent aspiration of vomitus. Even with very high blood ethanol levels, survival is probable as long as the respiratory and cardiovascular systems can be supported. The average blood alcohol concentration in fatal cases is above 400 mg/dL however, the lethal dose of alcohol varies because of varying degrees of tolerance. 

A third type of dose response relationship has been proposed, which is increasingly gaining acceptance, and this is the hormetic kind. This kind of dose response, for which there is experimental evidence, involves opposite effects at low doses, giving rise to a U-shaped or J-shaped curve (Fig. 2.11). That is, there may be positive or stimulatory beneficial effects at low doses. For example, some data indicate that at low doses of dioxin, the incidence of certain cancers in animals exposed is less than occurs in controls. Another example is alcohol (ethanol), for which there is evidence from a number of studies that low to moderate intake in man leads to lower levels of cardiovascular disease. Of course, high levels of intake of alcohol are well established to cause liver cirrhosis, various cancers, and also damage to the cardiovascular system. 

Among the many toxicants that cause convulsions are chlorinated hydrocarbons, amphetamines, lead, organophosphates, and strychnine. There are several levels of coma, the term used to describe a lowered level of consciousness. At level 0, the subject may be awakened and will respond to questions. At level 1, withdrawal from painful stimuli is observed and all reflexes function. A subject at level 2 does not withdraw from painful stimuli, although most reflexes still function. Levels 3 and 4 are characterized by the absence of reflexes at level 4, respiratory action is depressed and the cardiovascular system fails. Among the many toxicants that cause coma are narcotic analgesics, alcohols, organophosphates, carbamates, lead, hydrocarbons, hydrogen sulfide, benzodiazepines, tricyclic antidepressants, isoniazid, phenothiazines, and opiates. 

In contrast the thymol CT varies widely with the alcoholic CTs in both olfactory and therapeutic properties. Thymol CT is also attributed immuno-stimulant action but it is strongly antiseptic and is used for infectious conditions like colds, coughs and bronchitis. It is also recommended for its warming analgesic properties for treatment of rheumatism, arthritis and sciatica. It stimulates the digestive and cardiovascular systems and may help raise the blood pressure. 

SAFETY PROFILE Poison by ingestion, subcutaneous, and possibly other routes. Moderately toxic by inhalation. Causes injury to kidneys, Kver, and cardiovascular system. Mutation data reported. Flammable hquid when exposed to heat, flame (sparks), and oxidizers. Moderately explosive when exposed to heat. To fight fire, use alcohol foam, water, CO2, or dr chemical. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of Cr and NOx. See also other chloropropane entries and CHLORIDES. 

The application of antibodies in cardiovascular targeting in vivo originated with the experimental demonstration of the feasibility of using radiolabeled antimyosin antibody for diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction in 1976. Since then, the use of antibodies in the cardiovascular system has encompassed imaging of myocarditis,heart transplant rejection, dilated cardiomyopathy, alcohol induced cardiomyopathy,adriamycin cardiotoxicity, various other cardiomyopathies, vascular clots, atherosclerotic lesions,and even certain cancers such as soft tissue sarcomas.f Yet the best characterized and studied antibody for cardiovascular diagnostic targeting is monoclonal antimyosin Fab for its exquisite specificity... 

Sanotskij IV, Grodetskaya MS, Gasenian GA, et al. 1984. The study of the combined effect of carbon disulfide and other harmful environmental factors (noise, alcohol, stress) on cardiovascular system. Combined effects of occupational exposures. Proceedings of the Fourth Finnish-Soviet Joint Symposium, Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki, Finland. 29-41. 

Many alcoholics such as Al Martini develop thiamine deficiency because alcohol inhibits the transport of thiamine through the intestinal mucosal cells. In the body, thiamine is converted to thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP). TPP acts as a coenzyme in the decarboxylation of a-keto acids such as pyruvate and a-ketoglutarate (see Fig. 8.11) and in the utilization of pentose phosphates in the pentose phosphate pathway. As a result of thiamine deficiency, the oxidation of a-keto acids is impaired. Dysfunction occurs in the central and peripheral nervous system, the cardiovascular system, and other organs. 

FMD and blood pressure have been often used for the evaluation of the effect of the dietary intake of polyphenols on the protection of the cardiovascular system. Indeed, the basal FMD is increased in healthy subjects after two glasses of red wine with or without alcohol [100] or after consumption of 3 ml/kg of red wine [101]. Similarly, intake of red wine has been shown to restore a normal endothelial function in hypercholesterolemic patients with impaired FMD [99,102]. A study by Papamichael et al. has also shown that acute intake of two glasses of red wine with or without alcohol is able to reduce the endothelial dysfunction induced by the smoking of one cigarette by healthy nonsmokers [103], Moreover, acute intake of two glasses of red wine without alcohol improves FMD in patients with coronary artery disease, while intake of regular red wine was less effective, suggesting that the beneficial effect is due to the polyphenol content rather than the alcohol component of red wines [104]. 

Cardiovascular problems—Alcohol affects the cardiovascular system by (1) causing vasodilatation of the peripheral vessels, producing flushing, heat loss, and a sense of warmth and (2) promoting vasoconstriction of the central blood vessels, producing resistance to the flow of blood, and increasing the work load on the heart. 

A variety of factors can affect a person s sensitivity and tolerance to heat, such as age, gender, ethnicity, body dimensions, weight, physical fitness, acclimatization, metabolism, alcohol or drug use, and medical conditions such as obesity, hypertension, and history or predisposition to heat injuries. Individuals with degenerative cardiovascular system diseases, diabetes, and/or malnutrition are at increased risk when exposed to heat and when stress is placed on the cardiovascular system (Ogawa 1998 NIOSH 1986). 

Ethanol is classified for medical purposes as a central nervous system (CNS) depressant. Its effects—that is, being drunk—resemble the human response to anesthetics. There is an initial excitability and increase in sociable behavior, but this results from depression of inhibition rather than from stimulation. At a blood alcohol concentration of 0.1% to 0.3%, motor coordination is affected, accompanied by loss of balance, slurred speech, and amnesia. When blood alcohol concentration rises to 0.3% to 0.4%, nausea and loss of consciousness occur. Above 0.6%, spontaneous respiration and cardiovascular regulation are affected, ultimately leading to death. The LD50 of ethanol is 10.6 g/kg (Chapter 1 Focus On). 

The main acute effect is inebriation, which in turn spawns violence, spousal and child abuse, crime, motor vehicle accidents, workplace and home accidents, drowning, suicide, and accidental death. The chronic effects include alcoholism, liver disease, various forms of cancer, brain disorders, cardiovascular disease and other organ system effects, absence from or loss of work, family dysfunction, and malnutrition. 

Alcohol abuse and dependence, widely known as alcoholism, is a major cause of morbidity and mortality. Its acute and chronic toxicity spreads across multiple systems and organs, from child abuse to domestic or public violence to traffic accidents and from cirrhosis to hypertension. Mean life expectancy of alcohol abusers is around 55 years. Alcohol seems involved in several hundred thousand deaths each year in Europe, with considerable added social and health care costs. This is in clear contrast with the little attention paid to the treatment of alcohol dependence and abuse. On the other hand, much is made of the French Paradox , the J curve and the demonstrated cardiovascular benefits of regular moderate wine intake. 

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