Effect of alcohol consumption for a year on isovolumetric and auxotonic parameters in the rat heart

: Ethanol (20%) was given to wistar rats for 12 months, water to controls. In the intact heart in-situ parameters of pressure, volume, blood flow and contractility were recorded under control conditions as well as after dopamine given intravenously. Body weight of the ethanol-treated rats was diminished by 12.2%, heart weight by 12.7%, as compared with controls. A significant difference between controls and ethanol-treated rats was only found for isovolumetric left ventricular pressure. The increase in heart rate due to dopamine is less in the ethanol-treated rats. In all other parameters, no significant differences between both groups were observed.