Effects of acute ingestion of ethanol on hemodynamics and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in dogs--role of leukotrienes.

The effects of acute intragastric administration of ethanol on hemodynamics and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction were studied in spontaneously breathing dogs. The dogs were given 0.5 g/kg of 10% ethanol (v/v) in 5 min. Hemodynamic measurements were obtained before and 30 min after ingestion of ethanol. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance increased markedly after ingestion of ethanol, and hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction was augmented significantly by ethanol as well. Diethylcarbamazine citrate (DEC), a lipoxygenase inhibitor, inhibited these effects of ethanol in a dosage of 200 mg/kg. The above findings suggest that ethanol can induce pulmonary vasoconstriction, which may be predominantly mediated by leukotrienes (LTs).