Renin, aldosterone and cortisol during ethanol intoxication and hangover.

The effect of ethanol intoxication and hangover on plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma aldosterone (PA) and plasma cortisol (PC) concentrations was studied in 7 healthy supine men in controlled clinical conditions during 18 h beginning at 6 p.m. Large individual variation was observed in the response of PRA, PA and PC to ethanol. Following ethanol, stimulation of PRA was observed at the 14th and the 16th hour (P less than 0.05), of PA at the 4th and the 6th hour (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.05, respectively) and of PC at the 4th and the 14th hour (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.05, respectively). Ethanol ingestion suppressed PC during the first hour (P less than 0.02). Water ingestion at 8 a.m. suppressed PA between the 14th and the 16th hour (8-10 a.m.) in control and ethanol experiment (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.005, respectively). There was a dissociation between PRA and PA, but intra-individually PRA and PA correlated fairly or well. Plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) and PC were also significantly correlated. The results suggest that changes in PA and PC as well as the dissociation of PRA and PA after ethanol ingestion might be partly related to dehydration and to the increased secretion of hypothalamic and pituitary hormones as well as to sodium and potassium balance. There was a biphasic effect of ethanol, including an inital suppression of PC and a subsequent increase of PC, PRA and PA. Upright posture appears to exaggerate the stimulating effect of ethanol on PRA, PA and PC.