Ethanol dilates coronary arteries and increases coronary flow via transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 and calcitonin gene-related peptide

Abstract

Ethanol, at low concentrations not dissimilar from those found in blood following low to moderate consumption of alcoholic beverages, releases CGRP within coronary arteries via stimulation of TRPV1 on perivascular sensory nerve terminals. Ethanol-induced release of CGRP may contribute to the reduction in the risk of CAD associated with alcohol consumption by various mechanisms, including the increase in coronary flow and arterial dilatation.