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World J Cardiol. May 26, 2014; 6(5): 283-294
Published online May 26, 2014. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v6.i5.283
Hypertension and chronic ethanol consumption: What do we know after a century of study?
Katia Colombo Marchi, Jaqueline Jóice Muniz, Carlos Renato Tirapelli
Katia Colombo Marchi, Programa de pós-graduação em Farmacologia, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, CEP 14040-900, Brazil
Jaqueline Jóice Muniz, Carlos Renato Tirapelli, Departamento de Enfermagem Psiquiátrica e Ciências Humanas, Laboratório de Farmacologia, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, CEP 14040-902, Brazil
Author contributions: Marchi KC, Muniz JJ and Tirapelli CR solely contributed to this paper.
Correspondence to: Carlos Renato Tirapelli, PhD, Departamento de Enfermagem Psiquiátrica e Ciências Humanas, Laboratório de Farmacologia, Escola de Enfermagem de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes 3900, São Paulo, CEP 14040-902, Brazil. crtirapelli@eerp.usp.br
Telephone: +55-16-36020532 Fax: +55-16-3633-3271
Received: December 18, 2013
Revised: March 11, 2014
Accepted: April 16, 2014
Published online: May 26, 2014
Processing time: 184 Days and 17.4 Hours
Core Tip

Core tip: After a century of study, the relationship between chronic ethanol consumption and hypertension is well established. This review provides a description of the main studies that showed a relationship between chronic ethanol consumption and hypertension in humans. We also discuss studies using animal models of ethanol-induced hypertension, describing the main mechanisms by which ethanol consumption leads to hypertension.