[Acetaldehyde in the cardiotoxic mechanism of action of alcohol: effects on cardiac and adrenal catecholamines].

How the levels of rat cardiac, adrenal, and epinephrine and norepinephrine change with acetaldehyde and ethanol given alone or in combination during their acute and chronic administration was examined. In some series of experiments, acetaldehyde and ethanol were used in combination with teturam. The findings suggest that the coupling of two negative processes--a reduction in cardiac norepinephrine levels, which is associated mainly with the effects produced by ethanol, and an increase in epinephrine concentrations, which is apparently induced by acetaldehyde--may be one of the mechanisms responsible for cardiovascular abnormalities in alcoholic intoxication. Acetaldehyde modifies the regulatory effect of the sympathoadrenal system on cardiac function, causing adrenal catecholamine imbalance.