Alcoholic Cardiomyopathy: Causes, Symptoms, and Diagnosis

The most important unresolved question, however, relates to the primary injury/mechanism by which ethanol stimulates or initiates this array of adverse changes within the myocardium. Several inter-related mechanisms may include oxidative stress, apoptotic cell death, impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics/stress, derangements in fatty acid metabolism and transport, and accelerated protein catabolism. In this review, we discuss these mechanisms, as well as the potential importance of drinking patterns, genetic susceptibility, nutritional factors, ethnicity, and sex in the development of ACM. Prognosis in individuals with low or moderate consumption up to one or two drinks per day in men and one drink in women is not different from people who do not drink at all.

Acknowledgments

The RCI is the ratio of state III/IV respiration, and a decrease indicates an uncoupling of oxidation and phosphorylation. Detailed study design and findings related to investigations reporting changes in oxidative phosphorylation are summarized in Table 2. The signs and symptoms of alcoholic cardiomyopathy (ACM) can vary depending on the severity of the condition.[6] In the early stages, people with ACM may not experience any symptoms.

New Methods for Analyzing Alcohol Consumption and Stroke-Related Outcomes

On physical examination, patients present with non-specific signs of congestive heart failure such as anorexia, generalized cachexia, muscular atrophy, weakness, peripheral edema, third spacing, hepatomegaly, and jugular venous distention. S3 gallop sound along with apical pansystolic murmur due to mitral regurgitation is often heard. Anyone with concerns about alcohol consumption or heart health needs to consult a doctor for further advice and guidance. Around 40–80% of people with ACM who continue drinking alcohol die within 10 years of their diagnosis.

Derangements in Fatty Acid Metabolism and Transport

Although results related to levels of alcohol consumption and stroke events are less clear, some conclusions can be drawn. Approximately 1 to 2 drinks per day may have no effect on or lead to a slight reduction in stroke events; however, greater daily alcoholic cardiomyopathy is especially dangerous because alcohol levels increase the risk for all stroke events and incident stroke types. In terms of stroke subtypes, compared with nondrinkers, current alcohol drinkers have an increased risk (~14 percent) for hemorrhagic stroke (Ronksley et al. 2011).

For example, alcohol consumption typically has been measured through self-report. Future studies would benefit from using direct biomarkers of alcohol consumption, such as phosphatidylethanol (PEth), to corroborate self-report of alcohol consumption and distinguish among low, moderate, and heavy alcohol consumption (Kechagias et al. 2015; Piano et al. 2015). “To build a healthier, more equitable society, we must urgently commit to bold actions that reduce the negative health and social consequences of alcohol consumption and make treatment for substance use disorders accessible and affordable.” Interestingly, many decades ago ACM was thought to arise due to nutritional deficiency, specifically thiamine (vitamin B12). However, when alcoholic patients with ACM received thiamine therapy or other nutritional supplements, myocardial structural and functional changes were often not reversed.

If it takes too long — even by tiny fractions of a second— that delay can cause your heart to beat out of sync (a problem called dyssynchrony). Similarly, alcohol can have a toxic effect on your heart and cause scar tissue to form. That scar tissue can also cause potentially life-threatening arrhythmias (irregular heart rhythms).

• However, when alcoholic patients with ACM received thiamine therapy or other nutritional supplements, myocardial structural and functional changes were often not reversed.
• Regional wall motion abnormalities are not uncommon, but they are usually less prominent than those observed in persons with ischemic heart disease.
• Several inter-related mechanisms may include oxidative stress, apoptotic cell death, impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics/stress, derangements in fatty acid metabolism and transport, and accelerated protein catabolism.

Whether it’s with the people you meet in your recovery journey or your partner, family, or close friends, cutting alcohol can allow for deeper and more meaningful relationships. Though it feels like a vice for social anxiety, alcohol never truly helps people connect. It can also cause close relationships to end through increased alcohol-related stressors, like changed personalities while drinking or overspending. That said, it takes the hit of alcohol damage strongly, especially over time and with excessive use. Alcohol use can cause the liver to develop fatty liver disease, cirrhosis, and alcoholic hepatitis. Investigating the mechanisms, consequences, and potential treatment options for ACM remains a very important area of research.

How common is this condition?

• Low-to-moderate alcohol use may mitigate certain mechanisms such as risk and hemostatic factors affecting atherosclerosis and inflammation, pathophysiologic processes integral to most CV disease.
• For some people, a combination of factors could also lead to a weakened heart.
• Figure 3 summarizes the potential mechanisms underlying the cardioprotective and adverse effects of alcohol consumption.

Alcoholic cardiomyopathy is a form of heart disease caused by alcohol abuse. Long-term alcohol abuse weakens and thins the heart muscle, affecting its ability to pump blood. When your heart can’t pump blood efficiently, the lack of blood flow disrupts all your body’s major functions. Chronic alcohol consumption can cause multi-organ damage including myocardial dysfunction.

How soon after treatment will I feel better?

But for the people who consume more than that, those that drink significantly more alcohol than that, about 35 beverages a week, could slash a staggering two years off their lifespan. Speaking to The Daily Mail, Dr. Tim Stockwell said just one alcoholic beverage per day – we are talking a glass of wine, a beer and even a shot – can cut your life by a surprising amount. But beyond the short term issues too much alcohol consumption can bring, https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/is-it-possible-to-get-sober-without-aa/ a scientist at the Canadian Institute for Substance Use Research has revealed just how much alcohol can shave off your life. If you’re struggling with your relationship with alcohol, Koob recommends first evaluating your habits against the NIAAA’s 11 symptoms of alcohol use disorder. Additionally, people who drank and slept in low-pressure settings had worse sleep quality (less time in REM cycle) compared to those who didn’t have alcohol.