Functional capability of the cardiovascular system in alcoholics

Provedeno je kliničko ispitivanje funkcionalne sposobnosti kardiovaskularnog sistema u dvije skupine muškaraca, 49 alkoholičara i 37 nealkoholičara prosječne životne dobi od 53 godine u fazi apstinencije. Svi ispitanici su podvrgnuti testu fizičkog opterećenja na pokretnom sagu »Viagraf«. Planirano je maksimalno opterećenje predviđeno za njihovu dob, a prema frekvenciji pulsa u jednoj minuti. Prije, u toku i nakon testa opterećenja praćene su varijable: frekvencija akcije srca, vrijednosti arterijskog tlaka, potrošnja kisika u ml/kg/min, izvršen rad u vatima ili kilopondmetrima u minuti, te metabolički ekvivalent i minute hoda, uz simultano snimanje elektro-kardiograma u 12 odvoda prije i na kraju svakog ,stupnja postignutog opterećenja, kao i nakon opterećenja. Funkcionalna sposobnost kardiovaskularnog sistema mjerena indirektnom potrošnjom kisika u opterećenju, kao i na osnovi izvršenog stupnja fizičkog rada, nije bila statistički značajno različita među ispitivanim skupinama. U toku testa opterećenja u skupini alkoholičara statistički značajno je viša frekvencija akcije srca u minuti nego u skupini »nealkoholičara«. Maksimalni sistolički i dijastolički arterijski tlak u toku opterećenja značajno je viši u skupini alkoholičara nego u skupini »nealkoholičara«. Prema tome alkoholičari u fizičkom opterećenju vjerojatno imaju povećan rizik od poremećaja i bolesti srca.A clinical investigation of the functional capability of the cardiovascular system was carried out ln two groups of male subjects - 49 alcoholics and 37 non-alcoholics - with an average age of 53 years during a phase of abstinence. All subjects were tested by means of exercise test on the »Viagraf«, the maximum exercise having been planned according to age and pulse rate in one minute. Before, during and after exercise test the following variables were checked: heart rate, arterial pressure, oxygen consumption in ml/kg/min, work achieved in watts or kilopond-metres in minutes, and the metabolic equivalent and minutes of walking, with simultaneous recording of the electrocardiogram m 12 leads, before and at the end of each exercise level achieved, as well as after exercise. The functional capability of the cardiovascular system, measured by indirect oxygen consumption during exercise test and on the basis of the level of physical work achieved, was not statistically significantly different between the investigated groups. During exercise test heart rate per minute was statistically significantly higher tin the group of alcoholics than in the group of non-alcoholics. The maximum systo1ic and diastolic arterial pressure during exercise test were significantly higher .in the group of alcoholics than in the group of non-alcoholics. It is concluded that alcoholics are probably at a greater risk than non-alcoholics from disturbances in cardiac action and heart diseases during physical exercise