Heart rate variability in chronic alcoholics: a follow-up study

Heart rate variability (HRV) was studied in 11 chronic alcoholic subjects, 1-30 days after the beginning of abstinence and again 5, 12 and 24 weeks later. Two patients could be re-examined after 19 and 22 months, respectively. In the follow-up study, the total patient group showed a statistically si...

Full description

Saved in:

Bibliographic Details
Published in:	Drug and alcohol dependence Vol. 17; no. 4; p. 365
Main Authors:	Weise, F, Müller, D, Krell, D, Kielstein, V, Koch, R D
Format:	Journal Article
Language:	English
Published:	Ireland 01-07-1986
Subjects:	Adult Alcoholism - physiopathology Autonomic Nervous System Diseases - chemically induced Female Follow-Up Studies Heart Rate Humans Male Middle Aged Substance Withdrawal Syndrome - physiopathology Vagus Nerve - physiopathology
Online Access:	Get more information
Tags:	Add Tag No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!

Description
Summary:	Heart rate variability (HRV) was studied in 11 chronic alcoholic subjects, 1-30 days after the beginning of abstinence and again 5, 12 and 24 weeks later. Two patients could be re-examined after 19 and 22 months, respectively. In the follow-up study, the total patient group showed a statistically significant increase in HRV with prolonged abstinence of at least 6 months. No recovery of efferent vagal function was found in 4 patients. It is suggested that the vagal neuropathy may improve in chronic alcoholics, but perhaps only in patients with a short to moderately long duration of drinking history or a functional rather than an organic vagal damage.
ISSN:	0376-8716
DOI:	10.1016/0376-8716(86)90086-4