Female drinkers are more sensitive than male drinkers to alcohol-induced heart rate increase

Roberto U Cofresí; Bruce D Bartholow; Kim Fromme

doi:10.1037/pha0000338

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Female drinkers are more sensitive than male drinkers to alcohol-induced heart rate increase

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Female drinkers are more sensitive than male drinkers to alcohol-induced heart rate increase

Roberto U Cofresí, Bruce D Bartholow and Kim Fromme

Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, Vol.28(5), pp.540-552

10/01/2020

DOI: 10.1037/pha0000338

PMCID: 7263942

PMID: 31789554

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Abstract

The present study examined the acute effect of alcohol and its cues on autonomic and cardiovascular physiology, as indexed by changes in heart rate (HR), in a relatively large sample of healthy young adult men and women. Participants (27-31 years old, final = 145) were administered an alcoholic beverage ( = 88; 52 women) or a placebo beverage ( = 57; 35 women) in a simulated bar. Target breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) was .08 g%. HR was recorded while participants were seated alone during an initial baseline assessment in a lab room; seated with others during preparation and administration of 2 beverages in a simulated bar; and seated alone in the lab room at ascending, peak, and descending BrAC. HR increased over time for participants in both beverage groups during beverage preparation. During beverage consumption, HR decreased over time in those who drank placebo whereas HR increased over time in those who drank alcohol, increasing at a faster rate in women compared to men. HR remained elevated at the ascending, peak, and descending limb assessments only in participants who drank alcohol with HR increasing over time at ascending BrAC in the women but not men. Sex differences in HR under alcohol were not explained by sex differences in body mass index, BrAC, recent alcohol use, or subjective stimulation. Our findings suggest that women may be more sensitive to alcohol-induced increases in HR, especially in environments where alcohol cues are abundant. This may have implications for cardiovascular risks associated with alcohol. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Adult

Alcohol Drinking - adverse effects

Alcoholic Beverages

Breath Tests

Ethanol - pharmacology

Female

Heart Rate - drug effects

Humans

Male

Sex Factors

Young Adult

Details

Title: Subtitle: Female drinkers are more sensitive than male drinkers to alcohol-induced heart rate increase
Creators: Roberto U Cofresí - University of Missouri
Bruce D Bartholow - University of Missouri
Kim Fromme - The University of Texas at Austin
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Experimental and clinical psychopharmacology, Vol.28(5), pp.540-552
DOI: 10.1037/pha0000338
PMID: 31789554
PMCID: 7263942
NLM abbreviation: Exp Clin Psychopharmacol
ISSN: 1064-1297
eISSN: 1936-2293
Grant note: R01 AA013967 / NIAAA NIH HHS T32 AA013526 / NIAAA NIH HHS R01 AA020637 / NIAAA NIH HHS University of Missouri; College of Arts and Science R01 AA025451 / NIAAA NIH HHS T32 AA007471 / NIAAA NIH HHS University of Texas NIH HHS Univerisyt of Missouri
Language: English
Date published: 10/01/2020
Academic Unit: Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984446278802771

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