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Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a form of heart failure caused by long-term alcohol abuse. Symptoms include shortness of breath, congestion in the lungs, and swelling in the legs. The most effective treatment is complete abstinence from alcohol.
Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a form of heart failure caused by long-term alcohol abuse. Also known as dilated cardiomyopathy, this condition can cause the ventricles of the heart to enlarge. The heart muscle is also weakened and cannot adequately pump blood through the rest of the body.
Once consumed by mouth, alcohol is absorbed from the stomach and small intestine and then passes into the liver. In the liver, alcohol is broken down by the enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase. For those patients who consume excessive amounts of alcohol, the liver is unable to process it fast enough and the alcohol builds up in the bloodstream.
High blood alcohol levels can be toxic to heart cells. Damage to the heart muscle, or alcoholic cardiomyopathy, can occur in a patient with a long-term pattern of consuming seven to eight drinks each day. Long-term in this case refers to patients who have been drinking heavily for 10-XNUMX years.
Because alcohol is only one cause of dilated cardiomyopathy, it’s important for your doctor to make a correct diagnosis of this disorder. The doctor must take a complete history of the patient and ask very specific questions about alcohol use. Questions should be asked that reveal the amount and frequency of alcohol intake. Many patients who drink heavily can report the amount of alcohol consumed.
The patient may not have any symptoms during the early stages of alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Eventually the patient may notice symptoms of heart failure which include shortness of breath, congestion in the lungs and swelling in the legs. If the heart fails to pump blood properly through the body, the patient may experience fatigue and fluid retention.
Several tests can be done to diagnose alcoholic cardiomyopathy. Your doctor may order a chest X-ray which would show that your heart is enlarged and that there may be congestion in your lungs. An echocardiogram, which uses sound waves to image the heart, can also be used to diagnose this disorder. The activity of the heart can be measured during an electrocardiogram, in which electrodes on the chest record electrical impulses.
The most effective treatment for alcoholic cardiomyopathy is complete abstinence from alcohol. In the early stages of the disease, abstinence can halt the progression of symptoms. Some heart damage may be reversible. If the patient is unable to stop drinking, the doctor may need to identify a rehabilitation program.
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