[Autonomic alcoholic polyneuropathy].

Measurement of heart rate variability was performed in a group of 106 healthy volunteers and 31 alcoholics. The mean momentary arrhythmia of normal individuals shows an exponential decrease with growing age. In 5 of 31 alcoholics a cardiac autonomic neuropathy was found with this parameter. The withdrawing alcoholics had a significant increase of heart rate and decrease of heart rate variability compared to later measurements, what is in agreement with the concept of hyperexcitability in early withdrawal.