Effects of ethanol ingestion on blood pressure reactivity

We examined the acute effects of ethanol consumption on circulatory responses to the cold pressor test, to handgrip exercise and to intravenous infusion of methoxamine in eight normal male subjects. Ethanol consumption reduced systolic blood pressure responses to the cold pressor test and to handgrip exercise and depressed both systolic and diastolic blood pressure responses to infusion of methoxamine. The depressant effects of ethanol on blood pressure responses to methoxamine were considerably greater than the effects on the cold pressor test and handgrip exercise. Catecholamine concentrations during the cold pressor test and handgrip exercise were not significantly different with or without prior ethanol consumption. Alcohol has been shown to have an acute hypotensive action with all the stimuli.