Effects of chronic moderate and heavy ethanol consumption on myocardial recovery from ischemia

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of chronic moderate and heavy ethanol consumption on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. Th ree groups (n = 18) of B-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were fed a nu tritionally balanced liquid diet. Control, moderate alcohol, and heavy alco hol groups consumed 0%, 20%, and 35% of their calories from ethanol, respec tively, After 10 weeks of feeding, hearts were isolated and subjected to 21 .5 min of ischemia alone, or 21.5 min of ischemia followed by 30 min reperf usion, Hearts were evaluated for hemodynamic characteristics and high-energ y phosphate content, Hearts from animals exposed to moderate and heavy amou nts of ethanol recovered significantly less (30.61% and 29.45%, respectivel y) of their preischemic cardiac external work than control hearts (65.52%). Postischemic diastolic stiffness was increased similar to 7-fold, and high -energy phosphate content, both creatine phosphate and adenosine triphospha te, decreased >25% by both chronic moderate and heavy ethanol consumption. In conclusion, both chronic moderate and heavy ethanol consumption exacerba te myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury. The ethanol-induced reduction in postischemic energy status may be the mechanism of increased diastolic sti ffness and subsequent reduced cardiac external work.