METABOLISM CHANGES
AFTER DRINKING WITHDRAWAL
MAY RAISE BLOOD PRESSURE

By Sherry Wasilow
Special to the Health Behavior News Service

"Chronic exposure to heavy amounts of alcohol elevates blood pressure and contributes to hypertension among alcoholics," says Cristiana DiGennaro, a junior scientist at the University of Parma. "We also know that sodium sensitivity is characterized by an increase of blood pressure, although not necessarily in the hypertensive range, when salt intake is elevated. … Our findings indicate that alcohol consumption may raise blood pressure through the induction of a sodium sensitive state."

DiGennaro notes that sodium sensitivity has been shown to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Researchers writing in the December issue of Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research examined 18 alcoholics entering in-hospital detoxification at the University of Parma in Italy. Their blood pressure and sodium levels were assessed during their first eight days of stay.

During this time, each patient was on a fixed hospital diet that provided a "normal" amount of sodium per day. After one year of carefully monitored abstinence, study participants underwent a four-week phase of examination, which included measuring their blood pressure levels on three separate occasions. Then they were asked to adhere to a reduced-sodium diet, later increased to a high-sodium diet.

During the first eight days of withdrawal, alcoholics on a normal diet of sodium intake demonstrated high sodium levels, weight gain and increased blood pressure. A year later, and during exposure to the dietary sodium manipulations, the same group displayed more significant changes in blood pressure and greater sodium sensitivity when compared to a group of teetotalers.

In addition, changes in blood pressure during the early withdrawal period were related to sodium sensitivity during long-term abstinence. These findings suggest that salt sensitivity plays a key role in blood pressure regulation in early withdrawing alcoholics.

"We do not know definitely whether sodium sensitivity is an acquired trait linked to alcohol abuse," adds Di Gennaro, "or a genetic trait. We do know, however, that sodium sensitivity remains significant after at least one year of alcohol abstinence in heavy alcoholics."

She adds, "We believe that our demonstration of an important interaction among alcohol consumption, sodium metabolism, blood pressure regulation and cardiovascular diseases extends our knowledge about the impact of dietary and lifestyle factors on one of the most important causes of morbidity and mortality in Western countries. Our findings also suggest that a dietary reduction of both alcohol and salt is warranted."

Health Behavior News Service: (202) 387-2829 or www.hbns.org.
Interviews: Contact Cristiana Di Gennaro, M.D., at panorama@ipruniv.cce.unipr.it or +39-0521-986677. Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research: Contact Mary Newcomb at (317) 278-4765 or mnewcomb@iupui.edu, or visit www.alcoholism-cer.com.