Baroreceptor sensitivity was assessed in two groups each consisting of 8 patients, with alcoholic liver cirrhosis. The first group included patients with normal blood pressure, and the second one patients with mild or moderate essential hypertension. The third group consisted of 8 normal control subjects matched in age and sex with the group of patients. Baroreflex sensitivity was assessed with the phenylephrine method (BP) and with the Valsalva manoeuvre (BV). The sensitivity of the reflex was significantly reduced in normotensive (BP=3.2, BV=1.2 msec/mmHg) and in hypertensive (BP=2.9, BV=1.3 msec/mmHg) patients with liver cirrhosis, compared to the controls (BP=18.2, BV=1.8 msec/mmHg). These data show that baroreceptor sensitivity is diminished in heavy drinkers with liver cirrhosis. Although this impairment does not contribute to the increase in blood pressure, observed in some patients with this disease, it explains the tachycardia usually present in these patients.
