Increased erythrocyte calcium in alcoholism

The intraerythrocyte calcium concentration in blood samples of 42 hospitalized alcoholic subjects was initially elevated but declined over a period of several weeks toward normal values. The abnormally high values, which appear to be a direct consequence of prior alcohol ingestion, may explain previous reports of lowered erythrocyte potassium in chronic alcoholics, since there is a specific calcium-gated potassium channel in erythrocyte membranes.